The ledger. [volume] (Gaffney City, S.C.) 1896-1907, December 10, 1901, Image 6
I
i
PAYS TO PATRONIZE
Wg have built a reputation and business which are second to none.
Pure Drugs, Accuracy in Compounding Prescriptions and Moderate Prices have made this one of the most reliable drug stoes in the State,
The efficiency of the prescriptions made up here is due to the freshness of all ingredients used in the composition.
TTIK
CHEIiOKEE I >KT IC1 OO
Limestone and Frederick Streets.
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BY ItODNEY LINIIOLM
[PopjTig’it, 1001, by Amoriran Press Association.]
“Pay nml five humlred to the pan, or I’m a liar! ’
“OH. Boh. ilo you mean it? Seems too good to be true!”
“Sine. Tom. Guess 1 know ‘color* when 1 see it. There’s fifty thousand
to tin box length when we come to wash out in the spring. Beckon that up,
and see if you can make us out worth less tha*i half a million apiece.”
“Boh Burley, you’re olT your base. 1 can’t believe it.
“Believe it or not. Tom Herrick; but even you can tell what a nugget looks
like after it’s washed out, eh?”
Burley scooped out a handful of clea^. yellow nuggets varying in size
from it cucumber s»“ed to a hazelnut from the pan in which he was testing
the dirt and held them out for his chum to examine. These two had been
two months on the 1!1 Borado branch of the Klondike, having come up here
from Circle City on receipt of first news of a “strike” in this region. They had
built themselves a hut. staked out a claim of 500 foot each along the creek
and then set to work “burning out” the earth.
Herrick and Burley had burned and drifted, drifted and burned, until at
last they had an open shaft sunk quite fifteen feet, and, us Bob had declared,
they had at last struck “pay dirt,” and had struck it rich.
Tom took the handful of glistening nuggets from his partner, but said
not a word. There was no doubt ot the fact at last gold laid been found.
“Well, old man,” said Bob, “what’s the matter with you? Bon't you know
what those nuggets mean to us?”
"Bon't 1 just! Bob. if the claim turns out half as good's you think we
can both go home, can’t wo, at the end of the summer?”
“Bight you are, Tommy, every time. If you hear me say it. it’s so! But
there's one thing 1 feel compelled to say and which you won't be so happy to
1 ’*
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“GOOBBY, TOM, AND GOOD BUCK!”
hear, and that is we haven’t got five pounds of Hour nor an ounce of moat In
the shack. And the deuce of it is this is the day before Christmas, and tomor
row we ought to celebrate.”
“To be sure. Christmas doesn’t seem like Christmas without turkey.”
“It doesn’t, hey? Well, what did we have last Christmas a year ago?”
“Bear meat and blubber, and mighty glad to get it loo. But, all the same,
it didn't seem like Christmas, and 1'il stick to it!”
“No, Tommy, it didn't. A Christmas dinner always should have a bird in
it of some sort.”
“Well, Bob, you're a better miner than I am. hut you can't beat me at
bunting. The thermometer is down to twenty-six below, and the wind is
howling great guns, but I don't see any other way than to take my gun and
try for a rabbit or a partridge.”
“That's the talk. Tommy. One of us has got to attend to the fire, and you
are the better hunter of the two. 1 don't envy you the contract, though. It
may he down to filty below before night, so get back before the sun goes
down, won't you?”
“I'll try,” said Tom as he slid out into the cold, clad from throat to toe
in furs. He carried a double barrel shotgun in the hollow of his arm and a
r< volver in the belt, the hitter in ease he should encounter anything larger than
the shotgun could bring down. “I'm going up to the mountain for ptarmi
gan.” were bis last words to Bob. “so have a good pastry ready for ptarmigan
pie some time early in the evening. “Gondby.”
“Goodby, Tom. and good luck,” chattered Bob as lie dosed the door.
Tom swung sturdily along through the line, dry snow, winch came about
up to his knees, and derived exhilaration from the keen air and the prospect
of sport, lie crossed the creek, climbed the farther bank and came upon the
level plateau, where the wind had wider sweep and the cold was more intense
than in tin* sheltered ravine.
It was a long stretch, and no object intervened to break the monotony, so
he plodded ahead for over an hour and arrived at the summer snow line,
where the ptarmigans dwell. The g.aceful ptarmigan, though brown of
plumage in the summer when the snow is melted and the scant vegetation can
protect it. was now pure white and hard to distingrish from the snow itself,
into which it dove and from which it darted out like Hying tisli on the surface
of the sea.
He was a good hunter, having carried a gun ever since he had been able
to lift one. lirst practicing til the woodchucks and squirrels on the old farm,
then extending his range to the moose and deer down in the woods of Maine.
iSo when, all of a sudden, a white, spiritlike thing broke out of the snow and
made off straight to windward he threw up his gun and toppled it over iu-
stanter.
Several cot away from Tom’s shots, their movements were so erratic, and
there was little to distinguish between snow white' bird and bird white snow.
At last, however, marking down where a thick entered a snowdrift, he made
for it and stirred them up with his feet, and when they sailed out dropped
three of them on the wing. In this manner, by pursuing the birds closely and
keeping them on the move, he secured fourteen and then thought It about time
to stai t for camp. But in all his windings and doublings while in pursuit of the
ptarmigans he had so confused himself that he couldn't find tin* trail hack to
the creek. The sun had long since set, and hut a faint twilight remained,
while the cold air was getting colder, though the cutting wind had died away.
Hours later, tired to exhaustion, tempted to yield to the intolerable drowsi
ness that was stealing over him, and to succumb to which he knew meant
only death, he was staggering toward the bank of the crook. But it was far
away, and he was not sure of his hearings, when he heard the report of a fire
arm. He answered by discharging bis gun, and not long after Bob hove in
sight, dragging after him a sled thickly piled with skins.
“Zounds, oid man, but I got soared for you! Here, tumble on to this sled.
Bundle up in the furs and let me drag you hack home. Not a word. Ho as 1
tell you. 1 in boss of this expedition, my boy. Another hour and you'd have
lain down to sleep, now, wouldn't you?”
“I’m afraid I should,” drowsily muttered Tom. “I’m just about done
up. Bob. But, say, 1 got the birds, didn't l?”
“Yes, you did; but if you'd have gone to sleep they'd have come rather
high.”
But Tom heard nothing. He slept until the cabin was reached and long
after he had been bundled Into his bunk. When he awoke next morning,
refreshed and recuperated, the first thing he saw through the curling smoke
X
\1
PACKING TUB FOURTEEN PTARMIGANS INTO A PIE.
©f the pit fire was his Industrious partner peeking the fourteen ptarmigans
Into a pie. He had a dish as big as a milk p« and twice as deep well lined
with donji
trimmed
that t
Reynolds ami his brotner Dave were here after you left, and they’re coming
over to the feed. By the way, Tom. wish you merry Christmas! Same to me?
Oh, that’s all right! I'm a millionaire, you know, and, as for that matter, so
are you! Pretty business for a millionaire, hey—picking ptarmigans and mak
ing a scullion of himself generally? But never mind. There's a good time
a coming by and by. Next year this time we'll have our horses and servants,
sure's you’re horn. Tommy, my son."
Thus Bob rambled on, the while setting the great pie carefully in a corner
of the pit, whieh had been heated redhot with stones taken from the ereek
bed. And there it simmered and sizzled and in the end turned a delicious
brown just as Sam and Dave came over from their cabin, farther up the < reek.
The pie was served from a stump whieh stuck up in the .center of the
hut. It was a pronounced success, and Have declared that it "beat turkey
all holler,” in whieh opinion he was supported by his brother Sam. Bob was
heard to dc hire in fact, Tom said the same tiling that even if lie went out
with twice a hundred thousand ounces next season he would contrive to locate
in a section where he could have ptarmigan pie for his Christmas dinner.
najsim
By Seaton Lord.
fCopyriipit, 1901, by O. L. Kilmer.]
ULK1LY
»
J»iI'ui.d'cd with all tie In,, cdicuts. As lie dexterously
©1 set tU ■ di*'h down for one last admiring look, he saw
|iu d.
|led? Look at that! How’s that foi u pie, eb?
. Wtytjyu tiuj auiU‘4. on,
’ i } i
de
ploring the
poverty which
compelled me
to come to
work on Christ-
m mo * I 60*
Lf . / tered the office
lit V IriP of The Daily
Dozer and
wcut to my
desk.
"Christmas
enjoyment is
only for the
wealthy,” mus
ed I.
“Jenkins,” said the city editor, “here’s
five dollars a lady sent us to give a
poor old chap up on Tenth street. You
see. she wants to know it reached him
and doesn’t want to register a letter,
for he must not know who sends it.
So run nil with it and get a receipt for
it that we may send her.”
1 was soon on Tenth street. The
number sought was a tumble down old
’ookery. and the children snowballing
each other in the street stopped long
enough to tell me that old Mr. Jones
lived on the lop floor.
"Come In!” piped a cheery, shrill
voice as 1 knocked on his door. I did
Seated by the window, nightcap on
head and spectacles on nose, sat a
bright eyed, gray haired, much wrin
kled old fellow, clean shaven and very
tall and stooped. "Merry Christinas!”
he piped as soon as he saw me and
grinned affably, displaying a few large
teeth that were still white.
I stammered forth the conventional
answer. I could do no more than
stammer it. for such a salutation in
such a place quite staggered me. The
rickety bed. the imlighted stove, the
broken loaf of bread on the bare little
table, the absence of carpet, the two
chairs, told the story of deepest pov
erty at a glance. I hastily gave him
the money and took ids receipt.
“Sit down on that other chair and
gladden my Christmas.” said he. "This
gift of money is nothing to your com
pany. 1 deserve it.” he added a little
pettishly. "I have gladdened others’
Christmas today.”
"You have?” 1 was Impolite enough
to say in my bewilderment.
“The birds.” said he. pointing out
the window to where a few sparrows
on the lire escape were peeking at a
piece of his loaf.
“It is iIns that has made you happy
today in spite of”—
"It is one of the things
my Christmas giving. It
could give until you came
am under the necessity
human objects for
alms share of this
birds.”
“Can you find any poorer than your
self?” I inquired.
“Yes. even in the palaces,” he said
solemnly. Bising and leaning on the
long stick which he had kept beside
him. he thus went on:
"I began my celebration of Christ
mas yesterday afternoon by going to
the free library and reading Dickens’
‘Christmas Carol.’ For years I have
read it on Christmas eve—that is, to
till myself with the true Christmas
spirit of charity, love, peace and good
will. It always succeeds. Hus any
millionaire in this great city begun
more wisely?
"Having tiuishc?! my reading. I walk
ed through the erisp. frosty air to the
boulevard to enjoy tie sleighing. It
was very fine. Time was when I used
to sit In one of those vehicles and go
skimming over the snow. I lost half
the sport. 1 could not see the cutters
skim by. the rosy cheeks of the riders,
ami I ran risk of a spill. I could hear
no bolls but those on my own team,
but, ah. standing on the roadside—how
different!
“The skating on the lake next Inter
ested me. and I enjoyed it greatly.
Home to tea next, with a keen appe
tite. Had I a full larder and that appe
tite I would cut enough to be sluggish,
nml then 1 should not go out ngulu.
But a slice of bread, an onion and a
cup of black tea—no gluttony In that,
yet enough.
“I went (-'jt to do my Christmas
shopping. Oh, I saw everything—all
the rlchcfc of the earth displayed lu
wiittywm Keuiewbyr that vh* freat
delight in most of them is in looking
at them, and that if they are peisonal
ornaments you cannot very well see
them after you put them on. I feasied
my eyes fully trom the outside of the
windows. Ii was the best Christmas
shopping I ever did. and 1 have done
much shopping in my time, 1 can toll
you.
“Midnight mass — grand, celestial!
No, sir; uot a Catholic, but I do not let
that fact stand between me and epi
curean enjoyment.
"1 slept the sleep of the contented
man. sir. dreaming of the beautiful,
bright skies and green fields and pleas
ant waters of summer that are all
mine, sir, as much as a king’s.
“See my Yule log!" He pointed to a
piece of canuel coal beside the stove.
“I will light that by and by. I w ill
roast a little joint of moat over it and
make me a little wassail bowl of
cider with a roast apple in it—and
when my pipe is lit and tin* street
lamp shines on the ceiling 1 will recite
for myself some of the old miracle
plays of Christmas or sing an olden
carol”—
“Pardon me,” said I. starting up.
I must go. You tempt nn* to share
your feast and lose my position. 1
must go. 1 wish 1 knew how to lie
as happy as you.”
“Be content,” said the strange old
man.
r
iMf HI
ive the
Hug
s and 1
leof.
much
can 1
-I'll YOU
? 1
•11 YOU
from
one to 1
.DiKi
s. Fresh <
i run ml
S;iu-
‘very d
ay. t
'omit rv
I’ro
when
it c
;in be
ll ad .
How
can s<
druce
Fresh Fish netirlv till i
Domestic Fruits, ('tmd
Fire Works for Xmas,
or call Phone No. (»().
L. W. McGUINN.
That was
was all I
hut now I
of seeking
my bounty. The
is too big for the
I Will Dc
First Glass Repairing
b'vvelry at
Of Watch* s, Clocks and
the following prices:
Main Sprii gs (guaranteed!
Watch < Me tiling ■fl.uu
balance S all's il.aO.
Hair Sprh gs otto si ..vi.
Watch Glasses 15 to :i5e.
Hour, Minute or Second
Clock Cleaning to si '*o*
Clock Main Springs50c. toSi.nn
Will take your orucr and save V"ii
money on Watches, Clocks. .Icwdry,
Silverware, etc.
q * in
a nds B to I V
EXCHANGE BAR8ER SHOP
and BATHS
, Sanitarv Methods.
Skilled \\i»i
n< > a
H'll,
lean I owe
OIL MASSA<
II.
I I i<4l] ( i 1
>1
all I lour
AN EX l
•ade
a> is.v'rn®
IT M’EUATOR.
819
Limestone Street*.
U
TAiY.
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FRUITS!
Malaga Grapes, Pears, Bananas, Northern Apples,
Catawba Grapes
Peaches, Oranges, Nuts, Wanuts, Pecans,
Fresh Roasted
Cocoanuts,
Pea a its,
Chestnuts.
a ~ k < i
put
m to or<I*■
t ib'
in i
')!•
mi
XL tor YOU!' Oi'-d
:ir
>urt 1 to please
riood>
s ; have one
live red free
to anv
Oi
eit v
i S *
j rugm
TT’i
i E L.C. i ) HL
8\1H
Limestone Street.
E.R PARKER,
3 3
f*
CASH.
In
ier
Ouib in ilie
P>AI\< L\ 1X S
iar"'i
to move otir
next few weeks
that have lu eii
Si
W*‘ Wli
< dlerei I
* ili
an
m
tong
! Double
the best
time.
o some good things in 1
ii- before \ on !»u v. It
-ome other man -ell awl
A I
we di.vi't sell Yuli
Gome
we will
n n n.
Ninety Per Cent.
of all chronic headaches arc due to
eye strain. Go to Dr. GrlHith :it the
Cherokee OrugCo’s. and have i lie de
fect in vi-ilon corr* ctcd and iluis lie
Quickly and Permanently Cured.
Glasses fitted with sclent ilie iiccuraey
and all diseases of the I ye, l!ar, N(»e
and Thro it treated according to the
latest and most approved methods.
Beware of Traveling Frauds who
Advertise Free Examinations.
WILKINS HARDWARE STORE.
,£/ /
.;1XX
FAMILY G89UP.
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-v/m
j ‘ •’■ I
f
Ad
i
M ii'
lift :
rr
'ii
Wi
all an»:
Largs
Ml
■lures ill
Wo >t ud v th'
posing of bid
' that insula s
it speak, at
tmnigoment
\ Iduals, and
latisfactlon
r:iiMi lads, $5.00 Per Doz.
Groins, $3.75 Per Ooz.
JOHN GREENS
EVERY ROAD
J. R. COOPER.
Traveled by those who are looking for
Christmas Fruits, Candies, Cakes, Toys,
Etc.. leads to EZELL’S. Fine Choco
lates, Fancy Mixtures, Stick Candy,
Penny Goods, Apples, Oranges, Dates,
Prunes, Raifins, Currants, Figs ; in fact
anything in the Confectionery line. Get
in the push and you will land at
For the Building Season,
L. BAKER
Has just received ti large stock
of Sash, Doors, Mantelpieces
and all kinds of Trimming,
Flooring, Ceiling Siding, Box
ing, Molding, Brack, ts.etc. No.
1 Heart Pine Shingles and a
good stock John W. Mi.sury &
Sous Guaranteed Paints -and
Varnish, all at the lowest rea
sonable prices. Call and see him
when you want anything in his
line. No charge for making
estimate*.
Here is a Bargain.
Two excellent corner building lots within five
minutes walk of Carpet Mill. These lots will
be sold on the
Easy Payment Plan
of only $3 per month. Here is an opportunity
of a lifetime for working people. Apply to
JtQJD. 11. UeOiYIVU?.
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