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w o E Brova ■ Ii96 EEKLY EDGER. A Newspaper in al! that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People it Subserves, VOIi NO. GAFFNEY CITY, S. C„ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY" 27, 1896. $1.00 A YEAR. ( ACTION in FAVOR OF CUBA. INDICATIONS strongly point in THAT DIRECTION. Plain talk About the Abuse of the Free System by United States Court Officials—Na tional News. (Correspondence of Tin-; Ledger.] Washington-, I). C., Feb. 21th.— The Modern astrologers—those who foretell coining public events by the movement of the stars political in stead of the stars above—say there are strong indications of early Con gressional action in favor of Cuba. It is understood that President Cleve land has about made up his mind that the time for the United States to act is near at hand, and that he has conveyed a hint to influential men in Congress that he would like that L iy to take the initiative, and that he is willing to go as far as Con gress may indicate a desire for the government to go. The resolution reported from the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate merely ex presses the opinion that the beliger- ency of Cuba ought to be recognized bit it will not bo surprising if some thing much broader should in the end be adopted. Senator Cameron has a substitate which requests the President to ask Spain to grant the independence of Cuba, and other substitutes will be olftred before the Biattor is pushed to a final vote. While there is some doubt about the exact nature of what Congress will do, there is none as to its Intention to do something favorable to the Cubans. It seems that the plain talk about the abuse of the fee system by United States Court official#, which was indulged iu recently on the floor of the House, is to bring about a re form. The House Judiciary Commit tee ha# decided to report favorably a bill abolishing the fee system, so far as it applies to United States District Attorneys, Marshals and their clerks and deputies, and to pay these offi cials stated salaries. Speaker Reed very seldom makes a promise any more definite than “I will see about it” to the numerous members who visit him to ask recog nition for the purpose of calling up private bills, and his invariable an swer to those who persist in trying to get Inni to commit himself is “1 am making no promises to anyone. I simply say tliat I will see about it, and then, when 1 get inU the House, I reserve the right to see you or not.” Some of those who have failed to get recognized are saying privately that the Republican members who have influence in the election of delegates to the St. Louis convention never fail to catch the speaker’s eye when they rise. According to current rumor—none of those who were present will talk about it—some very sensational re marks were made by Chairman Walk er, of the House Ranking and Cur rency Committee at the last meeting of the committee. Mr. Walker is re ported to nave said that the failure of the committee to agree upon some satisfactory financial bill was because nearly every member of the commit tee was interested directly or indi rectly in some banking institution, and were more intent upon looking out for those institutions than for the interests of the people who elected them to Congress, lie is also reported to have appealed to the members of the committee to drop their selfish schemes for legislation in the inter ests of individuals and do something for the benefit of the people at large. The queer part of this reported ac cusation of Mr. Walker’s is that only three of the seventeen members of the committee acknowledge any con nection with banks—Representative LeFevcr, I’resident of the National Rank at Xewpaltz, N. V., Represen tative Spalding, Director of a Nation al Rank at Monroe. Michigan, and Representative Hill, Vice-President of a National Rank at Norwalk, Conn. Mr. Walker should be more specific. He must have information connect ing other members of the committeo with banking interests, as three members cannot be considered ‘‘near ly every member of the committee,” nor could three members control a comaiittee of seventeen. fcrctary Morton always tries to lolT something funny when ho ts a Congressman. The other day Congressman who called at the jpriculturul Department found the jeretary admiring two very long Pars of corn which had iust arrived from Nebraska. “Isn’t that line mule corn V” querried the Secretary. “It is” answered the Congressman: “but I can’t understand why you call it mule corn. Why not horse corn?” “Mule corn always has long ears,” replied the Secretary. The Congress man who told the story didn’t say whether he laughed or not, but as he got what ho went after, it is fair to infer that he did. Men seldom grant favors to those who don’t laugh at their jokes. The gold reserve is again above the $100,000,000 mark, but nobody ex pects it to remain there long. In fact, predictions are already being made as to the probable date of the next bond issue, and President Cleveland is said already to regret not having made the last bond issue doubly as large, so as to have secured enough gold to have maintained the reserve to the end of his term. SAYING “GOOD-BYE, CHRIST,” PROFESSING CHRISTIANS HAVE A PLAIN WAY. The Farmers are Behind—Court Week At Union anl Other News From Our Neighboring County. Gastonia Enterprise. [Correspondence of Tin: Ledger.] Gastonia, X. C., Feb., 21.—We i have bad some very cold weather for j the last few days—snow and wind, j Notwithstanding the cold, work goes 1 on. There are quite a number of | houses now under contract. J. D. , Moore, secretary and treasurer of the Modena Cotton Mills, has the lumber i on the ground for four tenement | houses. Mr. Gardner has the con tract. He is also making prepara- j tion to cnlargo the present plant by | the addition of 72 looms, which will j make 200 looms in operation at this ; mill. Mr. Gray, superintendent of i the old Gastonia Cotton Mills, is making arrangments t > commence the erection of his new mill. The timber has been cleared otl the I ground and a switch laid ready to deliver the lumber, li is rumored: that he will commence the erection , of forty two story tenement houses at once. Well the measles seems to he abat ing in some portions of town while in i others they are still raging. A Mrs. Alexander died of measles last Friday night. Her remains were interred at the cemetery on the 22nd. Her sickness was of short duration. She was highly respected and will be missed by the entire community. She leaves several children besides a j -large circle of friends to mourn her loss. There are some three or four of her children coniined to their beds with measles. It seems that Flaw picker and ; J. L. S. are on the war path. Give it to him J. L. »S. He has had the ; floor long enough. Resides his c.xag- erations and personficai ions are : enough to raise the nap of the most of us though we would not have him sail in to us for the world for we tind him very dangerous and hard to con- j quor, especially if he is allowed to run j loose at will. I like to read of the progress of your city and the prosperity of her merchants, with some of whom 1 am personally acquainted. F.-pec hilly would we he glad to hear of the elec tion of T. Davenport us one of your city fathers, as we think he would be the right man in the right place. F. A. Bridges, formerly of Henri etta, N. ('., is teaching school at the chapel and has a lino school, about | bO pupils. 1 public school. is a four months Canond I'S. Whitney News. [Correspondence of Tin: Ledgei;-] Whitney, S. C., Feb., 21.—We have some sickness at this place but not of a senous nature. Miss Dora Dillard lias returned from an extended visi! to Arkansas. R. C. Adair and family visited rel atives here las! .Monday and Tuesday. George Rusbee, of Clifton, visited friends here la>t Friday. We had quite a little wedding here hist Tuesday. Mr. John Stone and Miss Bessie Johnson w< re married by the Rev. Mr. Friday, tiie Methodist preacher. The ceremony was per formed at the home of the bride’s parents, after which they set out for the neighborhood of Roiling Springs accompanied by Kuf Rise anil wife, John Macobeo and Miss Dora Dil- liard, Mr. Sursey and Miss Daisy Dilliard. John Johnson and Miss Alice Stone and Gus Dilliard and Miss Opha Dixon. The remains of Maggie May, little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hplawn, was burned at Cedar Springs lust Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Splnwn came by here and spent the night with Mrs. Splawn's parents, Mr. and Mas. J. W. Bennett. Mrs. Nancy Splawu lias gone to Spartanburg to stay with her daugh ter, Mrs. Eluzine Cornel. Rev. W. 1*. Smith did not fill his appointment here last night. Some of the young people were sadly dis appointed as they expected to carry out their best girls. The erection of the new mill at this place has not made much progress as yet, but the brick making will com mence this week if the weather per mits. Wo are glad to see that The Led- gkk is making its way into so many new homes. One could not help liking it, it is so full of news from almost eveay point. Zin. • • This is a good time of the year to take Simmons Liver Regulator. It is the very best medicine to take in the Spring for the blood, and to cleanse the *y item of all impurity. “I have used Simmons Liver Regula tor as a corrector and blood purifier and think it an excellent remedy. I always keep it on hand to take in pref erence to any other medicine.”—1. M. Hysell. Middloport, Ohio. [Correspondence of The Ledgkk.] Etta J \ne, S. C., Feb., 24.—Farm ers are greatly behind with their work this season, and the weather continues so cold and wet that it will be some time before they catchup with it. Next week court will be held at Union. Up to this time very little businesss from this section has been sent up to it. The North Racolet Interdenomina tional Sunday School Convention will meet at Wilson’s Chapel on the 22nd of March. The wind for the past few days has dried the roads considerably and travel is becoming less annoying than formeily. Our roads and gully bridges, in many places, are badly in need of re pair. One dark rainy night about three weeks ago as Dr. R. D. Rates was coming from Oalfney to see a pa tient in this section his horse fell through a bridge this side of Lawn Rostoffico and the Doctor came near being killed. , Ry bragging what they have done or complaining that they have had to do anything for the poor is a plain way professing Christians have of saying good bye Christ. If we had more church members like the poor widow who cast two mites into the treasury we would have more Christ ians like Christ. It is so unnatural for a Christian’s tongue to be larger than his hand. Last Thursday “John Snap” and Coley had a runaway scrape while going to mill. No harm was done further than a general shaking up of the wagon and its occupant. For several days last week we were housed up with rousing fires, attend ing to our sick. The little boat made several trips last week to Lockhart Shoals with lumber. Finally the “biler busted” and it’s now hung up for repairs. Ry summer time we expect to see a good deal of travel over this water line. A few days ago a rumor reached this section that one of Dr. and Mrs. M. J. Walkers’ children had died at their home iu Yorkvillo. It turned out to be false and we with our neighbors congratulate the family that they have been saved such sore beroa ement. The annual reunion of the South Carolina Division United Confeder ate Veterans will be held iu Charles ton beginning April 22nd. The Di vision Headquarters are trying to make arrangements with the rail roads for reduced rates so as to make it possible for a large attendance of old soldiers, their families and friends, also the families of deceased soldiers. The city is making prepa- raions for t iio grandest time many an old soldier will ever see on this side of the grave, and we should show our appreciation of the old fashioned welcome m store for those who attend. Let all camps send strong delegations. Important mat ters will come up for discussion and action in which every survivor has an interest. I trust the proposed camp at Gatfney will be organized and have its delegates present. Rev. R. W. (livings will preach at Salem next Sabbath the 1st proximo., at 11 a. in. A general kicking against the two dollar road tax is now going on in this section, and some go so far as to say that the candidate for the leg islature this year who is not in for its repeal might us well lay his boom- let away until a change of sentiment comes of the political heavens. The Christian endeavor society met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Estes last night. The uttendai cc was much larger than usual. Last Wednesday being a fair day— and Ash Wednesday at that—insures a reduction in the price of Hour some people say who take stock in such nonsense. M ason Millwood and Junius Sparks, Jr., were at Salem Sunday school yesterday. The Hopewell correspondent “Myrtle” has my thunks for the many pleasant things said about me last week. 1 must- say, however, that I am no pitchfork man when I have a grudge to settle with an an tagonist 1 am afraid to use it as a weapon of warefure since Col. McKis- sick’s Irishman killed the farmer’s dog with it. Como over “Myrtle” and give all the news yon can from our county and I’ll not think you an intruder. If I know of any in your bailiwick I’ll not stand bdek to write it up if 1 think it will interest any of our readers. T. R. Rut lor, Esq., was before our magistrate’s court Inst week on pro fessional business. The law firm of which ho is a member is building up a large practice in this and Spartan burg county. One day last week one of our peace officers came up with a peddler and requested him to show his authority to examine his license. Then a few hot words passed between the limb of the law and the vender of dry goods. Finally a copy of the general statutes was brought in and section 1453 read when the Knight of the Yardstick showed his receipt for $10.00 paid the clerk of court, J. H. McKissick, for the privilege of peddling dry goods in Union county. Thus matters were settied and each party congratulated himself that he had met at least one man who was doing a straight busi ness. Recently I have received some job work from The Ledger office which for style, material and prices will compete with any work I have ever seen. I have examined catalogues and samples from many publishing houses of national reputation and I see no advantage they give over our home work. There is no necessity in business men sending off for what they can get at home just as good and just as cheap. j. l. s. DIAMONDS ARE DIAMONDS. Cool Eeply of a Woman Who Tried to Swsn-Jlo Throngh Painted Gems. A woman who says sho is Mrs. E. A. Roberts and that sho owns $20,000 worth of real ostaio in Syracuse, has been un der arrest hare for painting diamonds and endeavoring to negotiate a largo loan on (ho strength of the deception. She is good looking, tall and slender, and wears tailor made gowns and a seal skin cloak. Sho advertised iu a local paper that a well to do widow in need of ready mon ey was willing to pay a bonus of $.70 for a 30 day loan of $300 and guarantee good security. The manager of a local loan company answered the advertise ment, and Mrs. Roberts called upon him. “I have come to you,” she said, “to consummate that $300 loan. I am a widow and have $20,000 worth cf real estate in Syracuse, N. Y. t but I am in need of $300 ready money, and I will give you my note for 30 days.” “And how about fbe security you have to oner;” suggested Mr. Evans. “Certainly,” answered tho widow. “In order to avoid delay, I brought tho security for the loan with me. See, these are worth twice tho amount I want.” Sho drew from her purse two big white diamonds. One was sot in a stud and tho other in a pin. Tho manager tested the stones and failed to find even the suggestion of a flaw. Ho told tho woman to call on Monday, and sho could have tho money. Before going, Mrs. Roberts said: “I will seal tho diamonds in this en velope and indorse it with your name. Now they will not be removed from that envelope until you receive them. I will call at !l o’clock Monday morning.” Tho manager got his first intimation that something was wrong when ho started to locate tho rich widow iu need of ready money. Sho had told him sho was living at 1327 S street, northwest. He found that there was no such num ber. At this stage of his investigation ho decided to ask tho aid of tho police. Central Office Detectives Horne and Weedou were assigned to the case. They discovered that Mrs. Roberts was living under cover. Acting under tho instruc tion of tho detectives the manager per fected his arrangements for tho reccp- ti( n of Mrs. Roberts. She called at 11 o’clock. “Those uro tho diamonds,” she said, handing the manager tho sealed en velope. “Just sign tins 30 days’ note and those receipts,” ho said. “I will be back iu a moment with the money. ” Ha took tho diamonds into a rear room and plunged tho gems into an acid bath. When ho came out of the back room, ho was very nervous, but he man aged to disguise his true feelings until the detectives had entered iu response to his signal. "What’s tho matter?” queried Mrs. Roberts. ‘ ‘ Has anything happened to my diamonds?” “Yes,” ho said; “they have turned from white to yellow. They are painted stones. ” Mrs. Roberts took her arrest quietly. “You have no case against me,” sho said. “You will find that they are real diamonds, and it is no crimo to raise as much money as you can on real dia monds. ” Bure enough, an expert declared tho diamonds to bo genuine, although worth but comparatively little, and Mrs. Rob erts was released.—Washington Letter iu yyracuso Courier. Anlliouy Hope. The author of “Tho Prisoner of Zeu- da, ” Mr. Anthony Hope Hawkins, is described by an interviewer as possessed of features which “might bo cut iu cameo and would bo mistaken for tho early intellectual typo of tho Roman.” Ho is 34, slightly bald, has a delightful I smile and dreamy, thoughtful eyes, with a "slow, half kindly, half cynical and greatly blase manner. ” Ho is unmar ried and much sought after, with a whispered hint that ho himself much seeks the society of a young and charm ing English actress, whoso identity is no further disclosed than that she is “celebrated for her naturally golden hair.” FLAW PICKER FIGHTS FIRE. HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE POLITICIAN. Mr. Reed Parris’ House Burned Down Tetotally Last Sunday—Coalin’ Ground Section on fire— Other Chat. Dkaytonvieee. Feb. 24.—It seems as if though our whole settlement is on fire. Yes, on fire. No one knows the agony of EIRE until they have bin “tried by fire,” as it were. This here ole coalin’ groun section is red-hot, it seems. The whole woods is on fire, an God only knows how deep down in the groun it goes. Mr. Reed Parris' house burned down tetotally yistedy. The fire got from the woods to the shuck pen, an from the shuck pen to the corn crib, an thence to the house. It seems that Reed an his beloved family was out payin’ some naberly visits an on re turnin’, found his house to boon fire. He managed to git out a few quilts, but when tho thought impressed itself upon his mind of the fact that there was a loaded muskit in thar an that he wasn’t shore as to the way the dangerous end of it was a pintin’, he got his wife an children of! from thar an let the thing burn. The ne cessities of this family should be looked after; his house rebuilt an re plenished, his corn crib refilled an an his shuck pen also. Our nabers have big hearts—hearts full of love, you understand—whitch “taketh no denial.” Koine boast of their love fer God an man; some, love fer honesty, purity an trutli; some, sweetheart love, while some are accused of in dulgin’ too freely in puppy love. Rut withal, I nin satisfied our brother will be on foot soon again, aided by our united brotherhood of love. This thing, fire, is got a wonderful sound in my ear. It’s got a silver- steel ring, like that of a warrior’s swoard, that fills my soul with terror when it’s used to represent danger, anger, vexation, strief, envy, disap pointment, Ac. This thing, tire, is got a wonderful sound in my ear. It's got u soft silver note like that of a cooin’ dove when it is used to rep resent love, unionism, friendshipism, &c. Sometimes I am in the country an sometimes I’m in town, an to tell the truth, it’s a hard, hard matter fer one to keep up with ole Flaw. The town people think I live in town an the country people think I live in the country. As a gincral tiling the town boys snarls up their noses at a “coun try tackoy,” while the country boys snarls up theirs at the “town dude,” but thank God ole Flaw aint never found that dividin’ line as yit. I was half raised in the country an half raised in town—two halves make one whole—yit, some say I ain’t half raised. How’s that? T’other day I was a standin’ on a street corner when a red nose devil stepped rp an addressed me thus: “Hello! Flaw, how’s the election with you?” “Aint lakin’ no stock in it. Don’t care how it goes,” I said as 1 lent up aginst a brick wall to keep the scent of licker from knockin’ mo down. “Well, now you should be inter ested in this affair. We want good men at the staff of this here growin’ city, an we want you to help to put ’em thar. See?” said he. My dear sir, I—1 don’t even know who’s in the field, I pay so little at tention to it. I guess I will have time plenty later on to select these great men to erect as a staff fer inis worthy town. Go! aint it cold? I must hide out for home ’fore I freeze,” I said, tryin’ to git away from him. * “Don’t be in a burry, I’ve got some lickcr ’round here, less go an drink together fer once, then you’ll git warm. I want to talk to you in re gard to this subject any way,” he said. My curiosity was aroused as to who that great staff was that he was want in’ elected—never drempt that ho was on that staff—so I said: “No, thanks, I have done an quit drinkin' in my young days, but ef you want to chat with me I’ll stand the cofd a few minutes longer. Ry the way, you liaint told me what ticket you are a representin’ an who them thar men is who’s goin’ to compose this staff of whitch you speak.” I knowd that that thar was what he was a drivin’ at. you understand. He drew a long breath an said: “Well, thar’s me an—” “What, you don’t tell mo you are on a ticket that composes that thar stuff.” I said. “Why, certainly I am, an I want i 'll to vote fer me, too,” he said. “I’ll see you later on about this bisness. Good by,” said 1 as I walked off. As I went on home I allowed my mind to run over the incident a few minutes, an God an myself only knows what hit suggested to me, but you shall know in the near future ef God spares the life of ole Flaw Picker. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. Fillingthe Offices Is a Distracting Duty, and One which Weakens a President. In none of his papers upon “This Country of Ours” has ex-President Harison delivered himself with each vehemence and emphasis as he has in the one in the March Ladies’ Home Journal. “Tho President’s Duties.” Resides comending one of Mr. Cleve-' land’s acts, and censuring Ambass adors for making political speeches, he talks of Presidential appointments in a most feeling and an almost pathe tic way. Upon the latter theme, in giving endorsement to Civil Service Reform, he says: “In spite of all the difficulties that beset the question of removals and appointments it must be conceded that much progress in the direction of a betterment of the service has been made. The Civil Service Rules have removed a large number of minor offices in the depart ments at Washington, and in the postal and other services, from the scramble of politics, and have given the President, the Cabinet officers and the Members of congress great relief; but it still remains true that in the power of appointment to office the President finds the most exacting, unrelenting and distracting of his duties. In the nature of things he begin to make enemies from the start, and has no way of escape—it is fate; and to a sensitive man involves much distress of mind. His only support is in the good opinion of those who •hiefly care that the public business shall be well done, and are not dis- tHrbed by the consideration whether this nan or that man is doing ft; but lie hears very little directly from this class. No President can conduct a successful administration without the support of Congress, and this matferof appointments, do what ho will, often weakens that support. It is for him always a s#rt of com promise between his ideal and the best attainable thing.” “The Bar as a Profession.” Lord Russell, of Killowon, who has risen to the great dignity of Lord Chief Justice of England by distinguished merit as a lawyer, has written for the Companion of Febuury 13th a striking paper on “The Rar as a Profession.” This paper is marked by tho strength and clearness of statement which made the author, when he was plain Mr. Charles Russell, a leader of the bar. Of eloquence Lord Russell says: “The desirable thing is to have some thing to say; and as to tho manner of saying it, Daniel Webster spoke truly in his celebrated oration in honor of John Adams when he said, ‘Clearness, force and earnestness are the qualities which produce convic tion.’ ” Regarding the necessary qimi- tications for law: “Love of the prof ession for its own sake, and physical health to endure its trials, clear headed considerations to be taken into account in determining a choice of the bar as a profession. If the youthful aspirant possesses these, success is, humanly speaking, certain, lie has to remember that while ho is fighting for the interests of his client, there are other interests even greater than these; the interests of truth and honor; and he must never forget, as Sir Alexander Cockburn well express ed it, ‘that in th3 battle his weai>ori must always bo the sword of the soldier, and never the dagger of tho assassin.’ ” For the next issue of the Compan ion, the Washington’s Birthday Number, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, the able inheritor of a great name, has written an interesting supplement to Lord Rnssell’s article, presenting the subject from an Amer ican point of view. Appended to the article are a brief rejoinder b}’ Lord Russell and a final comment by Mr. Justice Holmes. Each issue of the Companion con tains one or more articles of excep tional value, written by the ablest and best known men and women of the age. Howell’s Ferry Notes. [Correspondence of The Ledger.] Howells Ferry, Feb. 14.—Mrs. J. J. Horn returned to Pacolot last Tuesday. Your correspondent lias been down during the past week with the meas les and let me tell you these hero measles are not what they are cracked up to be, nohow. Farmers had a few pretty days last week and they made good use of them in sowing oats. We notice a correspondent from Fowler City who signs “Rambler.” We think it tho best name he could have given himself. I don’t think that any news can pass about hero without being mentioned for there is a correspondent at every cross road. Miss Maud Kirby is at home spend ing a few days with her parents. Sam no. That the blood should perform its vital functions, it is absolutely nee ssary it should not only be pure hut rich in life-giving elements. These results are best effected by the use of that well-known standard blood-purifier, Ayer’s Sarsaparilla,