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I*. G. Stacy. • J. G. Waht>i,aw. President. Vico PresUlen THE HATIOHAI BASK OF GAFPHET. Capital $50,000.00. W11,T. buy county claims, receive deposit atd make Hl>er;il loans on approved paper D. C. Itoss, Cashier. The Ledger SEMI-WEEKLY—PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND FRIDAY. WE GUARANTEE The Reliability of Every Adver tiser Who Uses the Col umns of This Paper. A Newspaper in all that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People of Cherokee County. ESTABLISHED FEB. 10, 1894. GAFFNEY CITY. S. C., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1899. f British Commander Repulsed at Tugela River. rout. That I.ust it Contary. To wear your grandfather's coat would not seem much of au honor, but to John Chinaman it is the greatest felicity. Not only is the common loolc- | lug, shapeless blue blouse of bis an- j ecstor prized because it v his ances- j tor’s, but because of its intrinsic value. 1 The clothing usually worn by (ho Chi- ' nose is of the purest silk and costs any- IlIG LOSS IN MEN AND GUNS j Tone of the N wspitpers Is Extremely j Pessimistio mid Some Say England j Stands When* S!u* Did When Aiuerl* ( Ctin Colonists Were Fighting. Loxnox, Dec. 18.—The war ofiico hat! teceived a dispatch announciug that General Bulier has met with a serious whert* from $100 to $-•*0 a suit. As a nation the Chinese object to wearing clothing of any other kind, and centuries of experiment have taught them how best to make up the costly caterpillar thread into the most dura ble form. On this account the Chinese dress, though of purer material, has none of the sheen usually associated with silk, a peculiarity which has re sulted in the erroneous Ideas as to their composition. All the garments are reverse, losing heavily in men, besides 31 guns. General Duller was attempt lug to cross tl.o Tugela river. Finding io impossible to oueot his object, ho or- ciereu a retirement m order to avoid a gieater loss The following is the text of General made in China and are only exported for the personal use of Celestials in foreign countries. Owing to their cost, however, they are only purchased at long intervals, each garment being of so durable a character that they are handed down to the third and even the fourth genor- Ijulier’s dispatch announcing his re- v orse: *T regn i to report a serious reverse. 1 moved in full strength from our camp rear Chioviuy at *J o’clock this morning. There are two fordable places in the Tugela river and it was my intention to lorce a passage through one of them. They are about- 2 miles apart. •Oily intention was to force one or the other with one brigade, supported by a central brigade. General Hart was to attack tho iett drift, Gonoral Hildyard the right road and General Lyttletou v/as to take the center and to support either. “Early in th* day 1 saw that General Hart would not be able to lorce a passage and I directed him to withdraw, lie had, however, attacked with great t uliantry, and his leading battalion, the Connaught ranger.*', i fear, suffered a I rent deal. Colouel I. G. Brooke was teriously wounded “1 then ordered General Hildyard to advance, which he did, and his leading legimont, the Last Surry, occupied Co- Imso station and tho houses near the bridge. At that moment I beard that tho whole artillery I had sent to sup port tho attack, the Fourteenth and Sixty-sixth field batteries and six naval 3 2-pounder quick lirers, under Colonel Long, had advanced close to the river, in Loug u desire to bo within effective range. Hot Fire at (Pose liange.. "It proved to be full of tho enemy, who suddenly opened a galling fire at close range, killing all their horses, and the gunners were compelled to stand tc their gnus. “Some of the wagon teams got shel ter for troops in a donga and desperate efforts were being made to bring out the field guns. The fire, however, was too hevero, and only two were saved by Captain Schofield and some drivers, whoso names I will furnish. “Another most gallant attempt with three teams was made by an officer whose name I will obtain. Of the Ifc horses, were killed, and as several drivers were wounded, I would not al low another attempt. Unsupported by artillery, I directed the troops to with* uraw, whiih they did in good order. “The Fourteenth and Sixteenth field batteries suffered severe losses, too. “Throughout the day a considerable force of the enemy was pressing ou my flank, but was kept back by mounted men under Lord Dundouald and part ot General Barton’s brigade. Tho day was intensely hot and most trying on the troops, whose conduct was excellent. We have abandoned ten guns and lost by shell fire one. “The losses in General Hunt’s brig ade are, I fear, heavy, although the pro portion of severely wounded, I hope, is not large The Fourteenth and Six f y- ninth field batteries also suffered severe losses We have retired to our camp at Chievley. ” CiiiS'-d a I'.inic In liondoii. atiou. Wear appears to rather improve them than otherwise, with the result that the coat of the father or grandfa ther often lias more intrinsic value than the newer and less worn articles. —Omaha World-Herald. The WiiIIm Han Down. The Irishman who went up in tho ho tel lift without knowing what it was did not recover easily from the sur prise. lie relates the story in this way: “I wint to the hotel, and, says 1, Ts Misther Smith in?’ “‘Yes,’ said the man with the sojer cap. ‘Will yez step in?’ “So I steps into the closet, and all of a suddint he pulls the rope, and—its the truth I’ze tolling yez—the walls of the building began running down to tin* cellar. “‘Oeh. murther!’ says I. ‘What’ll be come of Bridget and the children which was left below there?’ “Says the sojer cap man: ‘Be aisy, son*. Tiiey’ll lie all right when yez come down.’ “‘Come down, is It?’ says I. ‘And it Is no closet at all, hut a haythenish balloon, that yez got me in!’ “And wid that the walls stood stock still, and he opened the door, and there I was wid the roof just over my head! And, begorra, that’s what saved me from going up to the hovins intirely!” —Irish Independent. Dnlilinn For Food. It Is an Interesting fact that when the dahlia was introduced into Europe it was not as a (lower that it was valued, but as a vegetable. The plant is said to be really akin to the potato, and it was thought that it would prove an important addition to our food re sources. The single variety seems to have been imported first, the Marchion ess of Bute having introduced it about 100 years ago. it came io us from Madrid, the Spaniards having, it is be lieved, found it first in Mexico, and it was introduced into Franco as well as England. A few daring adventurers appear to have made trial of it as au edible root, but it is never an easy matter to popu larize a new article of food, and the tuber of tin? dahlia did not take ou. If it had done so, the probability is that we should never have troubled much about its cultivation as a tlower. We never do grow things for fruit and flower, too. and if we had sacks of dahlia bulbs in Covent Garden we should have had no dahlia show at the Crystal Palace.—London Correspond ence. IIIh Opinion of SlinkeKpenre. There is a story going about coucern- As may have buen expected, tho des perate strait of the British arms in {South Africa, as revealed by the defeat of General Bnller at Tugela river, where at one stroke he lost treble tho number of guns Wellington left in tho hands of Napoleon during the six years of fight ing in the peninsula, while adding tc The determination of tho authorities tc send every available man to tho front, caused something in the nature of a momentary panic among tho public, which was reflected on the Stock Ex change, as already cabled. It is long since the tone of the news, papers and tho comment in the clubs and other resorts have been so chastened and pessimistic. Some of the Comments go so far as to say the crisis is so far- reaching that Great Britain stands “where she stood over a century back, •when the American colonists, men of British and Dutch blood, were inarms." The Evening Standard declares the situation calls for ail the equanimity, determination and perseverance of tne empire and demands the immediate calling out of all tho volunteers, em bodying all the Uitlatiders expelled from the Transvaal, to guard tho lines of communication, thus freeing all the regulars for service in the fighting lino. The Star urges the commandering “of all the great English Atlantic liners for transportation of reinforcements’’and says the country must ‘Tot herself the task of plucking victory out of defeat,’ 1 adding: "The guilt of tho government in super seded by the danger of the empire. We are thinking of a hostile Europe; we are thinking of India, and whatevet happens, we implore the government not to move another man from Calcutta or Bombay. We remember tho mutiny.’ To Bi-cognlzthe Itoers. \\ ASHiNGTOjf, Dec. Id.—Iloproseuta five Sulzer of Now York has introduced a joint resolution declaring that a staff of war exists in South Africa, accord ing beiligerout rights to tho Transtaa government and protesting against fht “barbarous manner in which tho wai has been conducted by Great Britain.’ ing a famous man of letters who vis ited Washington recently, lie appear ed at but one dinner party. There he sat next the young daughter of a noted naval oilicer. Her vocabulary it; of a kind peculiar to very young girls, but she rattled away at the fa mous man without a moment’s respite. It was during a pause in the general conversation that she said to him: “I’m awfully stuck on Shakespeare. Don’t you think he’s terribly interest- lug?’’ Everybody listened to hear the great man’s brilliant reply, for as a Shakes pearean scholar he has few peers. “Yes,” ho said solemnly, “1 do think he is interesting. 1 think he is more than that. 1 think Shakespeare is just simply too cute for anything.”—Y*'ash- iugton Boat. ConUj- I.t-HHonw. “What’s tiiat there young man’s business?” asked Mr. Darvenu. “He’s a tutor, I believe,” replied his wife. “What does he tench?” “One of them old sciences. I s'pose,” answered Mrs. Parvenu. “1 ain't just sure what it is, but last night Maybelle told me he was giving her some lessons in osculation.” “Well, 1 s'pose she's got to be edu cated,” returned tin- old man. “I only hope he won't charge no fancy price for his lessons.”—Chicago Post. Slt-tiriffiMt IVntnre. “I have seen Brother Bruggetts grow from a poor young man to a middle aged millionaire,” said the aged minis ter, “and it lias not changed him one bit. When he first entered my church, be established tho habit of putting a quarter in the plate every Sunday, arid, though ho lias since grown rich, lie puts In Ids lia cents,” Indluunpolls Journal. Church!!! l-t Uccupi ured. I/u’.knz > M AitQt:i:/,, Delagoa Bay,D<»c. 18.—It is rumored that Mr. Churchill, the newspaper correspondent who re cent'.y escaped from Pretoria, has b;e; recaptured ai Watcrfulboveu, about 1-all way between Pretoria and Furtugursi territory. Why Hi- ‘Wns Wiiki-rul. “Didn't sleep a wink last night,” said the dyspeptic. . “Overwork ?” “No; I heard one of those songs about slumber sweetly, sweet dreams be thine, and the confounded tune kept running through my head all night!”— Washington Slur. Lieutenant brumby DEAD IN WASHINGTON Georgian Succumbs After an Illness of Three Weeks. FLAG OFFICER TO DEWEY He Ilaispcl tho Stars and Stripes Ov>r Manila and on His I to turn to Anisr* lea Was 1’reseiit.cd Witliu Handsome Sword In Atlanta. Washington, Dec. IS.—Lieutenant Thomas M. Brumby, Admiral Dewey’s flag officer at the battle of Manila bay, died in this city yesterday after au ill ness of about three vTfeeks. The immediate cause of death was blood poisoning that came from a glandular LIEUTENANT THOMAS M. BKCMET. •welling which was one of the compli cations with tho typhoid. The swelling was in tho left side of the face and neck. An operation was performed several nights ago and seemed to give relief, but the tissue of the parotid gland was destroyed and there were internal troubles. Lieu'enant Brumby’s sister, Mrs. Hay ward, of Marietta, (ia., was with him when the end came. Tho funeral and interment will be at Atlanta. Lieutenant Brumby was 44 years old and unmarried. He was appointed a naval cadet from Georgia, entering the service on Peps. 29, lb7b, and his pres ent commission dates from Aug. 24, 1S9.*. Practically all tho time during tho last two years he has been with Ad miral! Dewey. In his report of tho battle of Manila, Admiral Dawey spoke in very compli- memtary terms of the services and gal lantry of his flag lieutenant, and recom mended that he be advanced some num bers ou tho list of lioutonuut.s. His rec ommendation was adopted by tho navy department, and the name scut to tho senate, but together with a number of other promotions made by the depart ment, failed to be acted upon. Lieutenant Brumby was presented a sword by the legislature of Georgia on Oct. 2(i. He remained in Georgia some days after that, and returned to Wash ington about the middle of November. Ou Aug. 19, 189S, at tho fall of Ma nila, Lientenaut Brumby lowered tho Spanish colors and hoisted those of the United States—the first American flag to fly over the Philippines. The death of Lieutenant Brumby, while not unexpected, was a great shock to Admiral Dewey. The relations of the two men for several years past have boon very intimate, and a strong friend ship had grown up between them. Lieutenant Brumby went out to the Asiatic station with the admiral, and had been with him until they both re turned to the United States several months ago. In his capacity as flag lieuteuat to the admiral, Lieutenant Brumby was thrown with his chief practically all the'time, and acted as his personal rep resentative in many matters of detir delegated to him by the commanding officer. He was regarded by Admiral Dewey as a bright, energetic and capa ble assistant, while the devotion of the latter to the admiral was something marvelous. Tho burden of his thought during the latter days of his illness, when his mind was wrecked with delirium, seemed to bo regarding his work for the admiral. Admiral Dewey was unre nutting in his attendance to him until his condition hocame precarious, and visitors were not allowed to see him. BURNED TO WATER’S EDGE. Steamer State of Kansas Destroyed at New Muilrbl. New Madkiu, Mo, Doo. 18.—The steamer State of Kansas of the Tennes see River Packet company burned tc the water’s edge today while lying t the foot of Main street. All the passeu gers escaped, but several hundred bales of cotton, considerable freight and bag gage were destroyed. The total loss is estimated at $500,000. The State of Kansas left Memphis last night for northern river points, loaded with general merchandise. The cargo included fifteen hundred balee of cotton consigned to eastern bnyers. The State of Kansas had been “tied up” at tho Memphis wharf for three months past and began her first winter trip last night. The passenger list was light. River men hero state the loss should not exceed $50,000. Captain Don A. Marr was iu charge of the vessel. Governor Borrows Finn!-. Coi.UMMA, S. O., Dec. 18 —Governoi MeSweeuey has arranged to borrow $2,000 with which to have- the state board of health fight the sunllpos trouble. The arrangements have beon made and us needed the money will be paid out. Governor McSweeuey took the position that tho public health de- minded heroic remedies and if money were needed it must be had. A ll*-n Knlli-r (:<>nvleti-il. Macon, Doo. 18 —Alien Fuller, b negro, has boon convicted of the mur der of Mrs Eugenia Pottle and sen tenced to hung on Jan. 5. The jury was out only 15 minutes. Took lllni n< Ills Word. The faculty of terse and foieoful speech is ordinarily an advantage, but occasionally a man gets hoisted by his own epigram. A li Ming young New Yorker who was recently established in a branch of the oil business hud set out to get the patronage of a certain firm. The head of the concern was re luctant to make a change. “The oil we have been getting has hot been unsatisfactory,” said he, “and I fail to see why we should make a change. Are there any extra induce ments you can offer? How do you pro pose to improve on the old quality?” “lu this way,” was the prompt an swer. -“I propose to give the business my personal attention. I intend to put some of my brains iuto every barrel of oil we send out.” The rejoinder pleased the old gentle man, and he became a customer. A few mouths later thf- hustling young man was obliged to make a jour ney, and in his absence, through some oversight, tiie quality of oil was allow ed to doterlorate. It was quickly noted, and a letter on file in the office records one of the protests. It reads: “Gentle men—When we were induced to use your product, wo wore assured that Mr. Blank put some of his brains into every barrel of oil. We deeply regret to observe that Mr. Blank is threatened with paresis.”—Washington Star. A Thrifty Scot. A good story Is told by an English tourist who staid for a week in apart ments in Aberdeen, the “Granite City.” “I had heard,” lie says, “of the canny folk of Aberdeen, and my experience, short though it was, proved that rumor had rightly estimated the character of tilt people. The streets are granite, the houses are granite, and the inhab itants are granite, and when they have a granite baby they give it a ball of granite for fear it should break any other toy. “1 had a granite landlady, and one day when I was going fishing her son volunteered to accompany me. 1 piovided the lunch, the rods and the lines; he provided the worms—dug them up in a neighbor’s garden with a borrowed spade. I caught Hi trout; he ate the lunch and broke my best rod. When we got home, 1 made a present of 14 of the fish to my granite landlady and asked her to cook the other two for my tea. She did and charged me threepence for the dripping in which they were fried!”—London Answers. Men an Created. The glittering generalities of Thomas Jefferson that all men are created equal and that the right of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness is inaliena ble, have been the texts for many in jurious instructions. They are rhe torical flourishes, meaningless to the gentleman on the scaffold and In Sing Sing, who pursued the fleeting phan tom of happiness with the jimmy of the burglar and the dagger of the as sassin. Men are not created equal physically, morally or intellectually, nor in aptitude, opportunity nor condi tion. % lt is perhaps accurate to say of the ^oOO.OOO.OOO inhabitants of the eartli,no two are created equal. Nature is incapable of uniformity ami detests equality as much as she abhors a vacuum. One is made to honor, an other to dishonor, as one star differetli from another star in glory.—John J. In galls. The Flunre Dickens Cnt. Satirists are not able to perceive their own absurdities. That is a well known failing and as old as the hills. The first great English writer to come over here and create a furore was Charles Dickens, and certainly no man ever lived who had a sharper eye for the grotesque in personal appearance, especially in dress. According (o all accounts, his make up was something appalling. My old uncle saw him In New Orleans and used to swear he looked more like a caricature than a human being. lie curled Ids beard, used corsets, sported red waistcoats with lavender pantaloons, carried two watches with gold chains around his neck and wore rings outside his gloves! Just think of it! A nappy Thought. The spontaneous and happy wit of the late Isaac II. Bromley, for many years a writer of New York Tribune leaders, is recalled by the example be low: One day in The Tribune office the veteran journalist Charles T. Congdon was talking of the delightful reading he had found in Bayle’s Dictionary am! remarked that if he were ever in jail he would be quite contented with that book. “Of course you would,” said Brom ley. “If you had Bayle, you could get out.” GettlnK' Out of a Corner. “What a beautiful lounge!” “Yes. That’s a birthday present from my husband. He always gives me a present that costs him as many dollars ns 1 am years old.” “That’s nice of him. It reconciles one to growing old. By the way, 1 have a lounge nt home like that, but not nearly as fine, and we paid for It.” “Is that afl? This—this didn’t cost ►'early ns much as that.”—Chicago Tribune. A Moilernte Mini. “How much is this soap a cake?” ‘ “Take two for 15 cents.” “Two? Do you think 1 buy soap by the wholesale?”—Fliegende Blatter. No trait of character is more valuable to a woman than the possession of h sweet temper. Home can never lie* happy without it. It is like the flowers tlial spring up in our pathway, reviv ing and cheering us. The curiosity of others enables Nome men to make n good living.—Chicago News. THE LATEST COT- TON MILL NEWS. Items of Interest to Textile Workers. OPERATIVE PERSONALS Tho Improvements ami Advancements of the Past Week in North ami South Caro lina Cotton Mllhi and Hosiery Facto ries, Ktc. fSoutlieru and Western Textile Excelsior.! John Gosnell has returned to Euo- ree. S. C., as loomfixer. A. E. McDonell has left Enoree, S. C., to take a position in Pelzer, S. C., Mill No. 4. The Victor Manufacturing Com pany, Greers, S. C., have placed a repeat order for humidifiers. J. V. Hawks, night spinner at the Edna Cotton Mill, Reidsville, N. C., is quite ill with rheumatism. The Roanoke Mills Company, Roanoke Rapids. N. C., will add twenty more dobby heads to their looms at once. J. F. Miller, of Cohoes, N. Y., and Sandersvilio, Mass., is now overseer of carding in the Erwin Cotton Mill, Durham, N. C. H. H. Boyd, of New Bedford, Mass., succeeds K. J. Davis as su- perintendant. of the Wiscasset Mill, A Ibemarle, N. C. B. B. Higgins, loomfixer at the Roanoke Mills, Roanoke Rapids, N. C., is visiting at his home in Ruther ford county, N. C. Al the annual meeting of the Lock hart, S. C. t Cotton Mills in Spartan burg, S. C., a semi-annual dividend of .3 per cent, was declared. Superintendant Jno. Gilligan, of the Edna Cotton Mills, Reidsville, N. 0., was in Fort Mill, S. C., on business one day last week. Geo. A. Howell, secretary of the Edna Cotton Mills, Reidsville, N. C., spent several days of last week with his family in Chariotte. C. 11. Gray has resigned as over seer of weaving at the Millfort Mill, Fort Mill, S. C . and will locate for the present at Rock Hill, S. C. Superintendant Jones, of the Roan oke Rapids, N. C., Cotton Mill Com pany, is busy these days erecting a car load of spinning machinery. F. L. Robbins assumed the management of the Kesler Manu facturing Company’s Mill, Salisbury, N. C.^ytsterday, December 18th. J. L. Carr, formerly of the War wick Mills, Augusta, Ga., has gone to Elon College. N. C , to accept a position in the Altamahaw Mills. J T. Cole, formerly of Henrietta, N. C., Mills, has accepted a position as second hand in the spinning room of the Wisscasset Mills, Albemarle, N, C. T. W. Haddle, overseer spinning at the Roanoke Mill, Roanoke Rapids, N. C., will spend Christmas with relatives in Washington and Balti more. H. P. Torrence, for some time overseer spinning of the Kinston, N. C., Cotton Mills, has accepted a like position in the Norwood, N. C., Cot ton Mills. The annual meeting of the Spar tan, S. C., Cotton Mills was held in Spartanburg, S. C., last week. A semi-annual dividend of 4 per cent, was declared. B. H. Henderson, who has been dobby loomfixer at the Roanoke Mills, Roanoke Rapids, N. C., for some time, will go this week to ac cept a like position at the Blue Ridge Mills, Petersburg, Va. Jas. Wilson, formerly loomfixer, but who is now merchandising, is filling the position in the Edna Cot ton Mills, Reidsville, N. C., made vacant by the resignation of Mr. Couch, former loomfixer. A. S. Winslow, of Fall River Mass., has been made overseer of carding and spinning in the Erwin Cotton Mill, Durham, N. C., in place of Thos. McNeeloy, who is now superin tendant of the Norwood, N. C., Mill. J. E. Simpson has resigned as sec tion hand in the weave room of the Ossipee Cotton Mills, Elon College, N. C., to take a position with the Draper Company', starting new looms in the Fulton Bag and Cotton M^lls, Atlanta, Ga. C. C. Clark, second hand in the spinning room of the Edna Cotton Mills, Reidsville, N. C., has resigned and will return to his former home in Bessemer City, N. C., where he has accepted a much better position with the Southern Cotton Mills Com pany. A fire broke out in the cotton ware house of the Charlotte, N. C., Cot ton Mills last Sunday evening. It might have resulted seriously had not assistance been at hand to put it out. Two hundred bales were damaged. The loss amounts to about $1500. Tlie brick work on tho main build ing of the Cox Manufacturing Com pany mill, at Anderson, S. C., is about done, and the splendid houses being built for the overseers of the mill, though net quite complete, present h tine appearance. M. P. Pitts, formerly of the Poe Mill, Greenville. S. C , will ho the super- intondant of this new mill. It Is reported from Spartanburg, S. C£., that John A. Law, cashier of the Spartanburg Saving Bank, is promoting a scheme to raise $200,- 000 to b,uild a new cotton mill in that town. Spartanburg county, S. C., is already one of the largest man ufacturing counties of the South, containing the Spartan, Clifton, Pacolet, Whitney, Arkwright, and numerous other mills. The new ad dition to the number of mills would materially increase its productivity. AFTER PRECIOUS METAL. The Mcbbi-s. tiulbiKlierri ITacing Machinery at Willie. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Willie, Dec. 14.—W. W. Whel- chel, after spending one year in Pick ens, has again become a resident of Willie. Mr. Whelchel says that next morning after he got back here his old cow gave about a quart more milk than she had usually given; ho had two roosters that hud never crowed before, that woke him up crowing; that his wife was much bet ter looking; that his children were more playful, and that his old watch, which had not run any in two months, struck out to running as soon as he got here, and has been running and keeping good time ever since. All of which ho ascribes to the joy of again getting back to Willie. The Messrs. Gallagher have put up machinery near here for the pur pose of separating the “precious metal” from the rocks, in which we wish them much success. The Mes srs. Gallagher are pretty well known in Gaffney—one of them having spent two years there in the photograph busines, and the other considerable time in and around the place pros pecting for gold. E. H. Mason, the export miner of this section, has been in the moun tains of western North Carolina for several months superintending the prospecting forces of Messrs. Hering, Harris it Co. They have recently opened up a Mangonese mine near Brevard, N. C., which they have now disposed of; and will next give their attention to the “double-branch” veins of Rutherford county N. C. Notwithstanding the short crops this year, our farmers seem to be in splendid shape for the making of an other crop. There has been more wheat planted and more new houses built in this section than we have ever known before in one season. It seems to us entirely unneces sary to tell the readers of The Led ger that The Ledger is second to no Semi-Weekly paper of the Piedmont region of this state, because those who lead the paper know it already and those who do not read it, would not know it no way. We anticipate eating our Christ mas dinner with our aged mother, Mrs. Mary S. Whelchel, near Gaff ney. A merry Christmas to all of our readers, the editor and manager of The Ledger included. Octavus.x FROM THRIVING UNION. JiufTalo It. R. Kaplilly ITogreKHinK.—Negro Hurl lu the Oil Mill. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Union, S. C., Dec. 15.—Extensive preparations are being made among all classes and professions for the closing activities of 1899. The mer chants have a bountiful supply of goods arranged for trade which is dull, judging by the number and size of bundles carried away by the customers. Work on the Buffalo railroad is progressing rapidly. As it appears in the near future, the sound of the locomotives will bo heard in that direction. Eddie Benson colored, became en tangled in some part of the belting at the Oil Mill yesterday and came near losing his life. One can never be too careful while at work with ma chinery. Several hales of cotton are brought to town during these sunny days. Remnants held to supply a few lux uries for the holidays. A few porkers are being killed here and there. The supply is not what it could be by any means. There are few farmers now-a-days—only people living in the country. Mr. J. L. S. appears to be unable to locate the fault as to tho irregu larity ot the public school system. It being a public institution the fault may never he located, hut in a few years hence if there is any real benefit derived from the system there will have to be some changer made. While visiting in some portions of Cherokee county recently, your scribe found that The Ledger has a large number of colored friends and patrons. Among them are Ben Trice, G. Littlejohn, Jake Mont gomery and others. Colored people can make no better Investment than to subscribe, and read some good newspapers. It is surprising to note how few compuringly do so. Lkdukk Reader, Tliero nr« uninn Simple Iti-mnlif-H indiR. pi-nwible iu any family. Among tlu-so, the experience of years assures us, should ho recorded Pain-Kii.i.er. For both internal mid external applicatioim we have found it of great value; especially can we recom mend it for colds, rheumatism, or fresh wounds and bruises.—Christian Km. Avoid substitutes, there is hut one Titin-Kdk-r, Terry Davis'. Trice 25c. and 50c. Deautj 4a Blood Deep. Clean Mood means a clean skin. No beauty without it. Cascarets, Candy Cathar tic clean your blood and keep it clean, by stirring up the lazy liver and driving all im •urities from the body. Begin to-day to vanish pimples, boils, blotches, blackheads, and that sickly bilious complexion by taking Cascarets,—beauty for ten cents. All drug gists, satisfaction guaranteed. 10c, 25c, 50c. $1.00 A YEAR. CURRENCY BILL IS PASSED BY HOUSE ^ ' Measure Has a Majority oi Forty Votes. 100 FOR AND 160 AGAINST Eiglit Democrats, Messrs. Clayton, Denny, Griggs, Fitzgerald,Uupperr, Scud der, Tlu.ycr and Wilson, Auswei "Aye.” Washington, Doc. 18.—Tho currency bill pnssod the house today by a vote of 190 to 150. The following Democrats voted for the bill: Clayton of New York, Denny of Maryland, Driggs ot New York, Fitzgerald of Now York, Ruppert of New York, Scndder of New Y’ork, Thayer of Massachusetts, Wilsou of New York. Almost every seat in tho hall wai occupied when tho house convened. The vote upon the currency bill, which wai to be taken immediately after tho read <ug of the journal, was respous-ible foi the lull attendance. Under the terms of the special ordei with the currency bill neither a motion to recommit nor asubsiitute proposition was in order, and the vote was taken directly upon the passage of the bill. The result was a foregone conclusion, as it commanded every Republican vote. The interest in the vote, therefore, cen tered only in tho record of Democratic disaffection it would show. • It is expected that the bill wiil be sent to tho senate during tho preseut week. It will be referred to the committee on finance. This ccmmittee expects tc make its report soon after the resump tion of busluess iu the new year. The chairmen of the various commit- S ecs wore announced by Speaker Hen- icrsou today. A MYSTERIOUS SHOOTING. Wuiiiitn of Mormuii Hciit-f Admits Killin'; an Intruder. Charlotte, N. O., Doc. 18.—There is now beiug investigated at Dobson, ths county scat of Surry county, N. O., one of tho most mysterious murders evei committed in North Carolina. About the middle of November, Mrs. b'arah Wallace, a woman iu full sympa* thy with Utah and Representative Rob erts’ manner of living, came to Dobson and reported that she had. ou the night previous, shot and killed Sol Simpson. She returned home, and found, as she claimsr that while she was away to sur render to the authorities, some one cume with a wagon and removed tho dead body, which she had left lying in front of her door. Tho body had been secreted, and sc far no trace of It has been found, though dilligcut search has now been made. Some sour days ago tho father of the murdered man, not hearing anything from his missing sou, and having heard those reports, had warrants sworn our, with the losult that Mrs. Wallace ig now iu jail, and the search for the miss ing corpse continues. It seems now that she implicates a man of some stand ing and fair means, and, if the body is ever found, Surrey county will have a highly sensational and complicated murder trial. Her story is now that this man was with her, and that they knew Sol Simp- sou was coming. As she had no way to defend herself, the man gave her his pistol and then retired. Simpson knocked for admittance, and Mrs. Wal lace informed him that she did not care for his company. He declared he would come in any way, and after two heavy assaults ou tho door with a rock the door fell and Simpson started to enter. As he reached tho threshold she fired the pistol, and he fell. Then, as she claims, she went to Dobson to surren der, and while she was there the body was removed and secreted. Gal (road Surd For $20,000. Raleigh, Dec. 18.—J. T. Couch of Durham. N. G., father and administratoz of L nwood Couch, has instituted suit for $20,000 against the North Carolina Railroad company. Linwood Couch, who was iu tho employ of the railway company, was killed at Funatnn, a sta tion between Durham and University, on Sopt. 39. He was a bn.kc-mau, and while chaining a car who e diawhead had pulled out was crashed to death. It is claimed by tho plaintiff that big son’s death was caused by negligence oi the company. Otllci-r Goes For Hunter. Atlanta, Doc. 18. —Governor Candlei has designated John W. Rogers, a Pin kerton detective, to go to Tangier, Mo rocco, and bring to Atlanta Thomai Hunter, formerly auditor of the At lanta n’"t West Point Railway com- { )any t who recently left here with • urge i.iscrepancy in his accounts. Rog ers will leave at once. ('out Output For the Y< ar. Birmingham, Ala., Doc. 18—State Mine Inspector J. doB. Hooper esti mates that Alabama’s coal output for the year 1899 will bo 6,500,000 tons. He says that tho Increase iu production dnring tho last throo months has been something enormous, and that the year’s total will be a record smasher. Colonel Moa Critically HI. Chattanooga, Dec. 18.—Colonel S. B. Moe, one of tho leading citizens of the city, and who was General Sheridan’s chief of staff during the battle of Mis sionary Ridge, has been stricken wi.J cerebro-spinal meningitis and very gravs fears are entertained for his recovery. Five Votes For Johnston. Montgomery, Ala., Dec. 1& —Re turns from primaries hold in Jackson, Morgan and Macon counties indicate that Governor Johnston won in all of them, thereby secoriug 5 more votes fat United States senator in tho next gen eral assembly. A Failure In New York. New York, Dec. 18—The Produce Exchange Trust company of this city has closed its doors. A notice upou ths door says the company has suspended payment peudiug an examination of its hooka.