Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TUE ADVERTISE II. Subscription Price-12 Months, $1.00 Parable In Advance. Kates for Advertising.?Ordinary Ad vertlsements, per square, one inser tion, $1.00; each subsequent Insertion, 60 cents. Liberal reduotlon made for large Advertisements. W. W. Baix, Proprietor. LAURENS, 8. t\, Feb. 18, 1903. Laurens and Its Newspapers. The Advertiskb would for a few minutes talk shop to its friends and es pecially business men in Laurens. There is room In this town for two newspapers. Tbere is room in any town with such a county around it as Laurens for two good county papers. There is room, also, for one paper in Clinton. Until Clinton trebles in size one of her papers will be a wart. We are not saying which Is a wart; we have not examined. But two papers can't live in Clinton. Two can exist in Clin ton but existing isn't living. One will be a useless and profitless drain on the community and a sorrow to Itself. We speak after long study and wearying experience of the business In all its ends and corners. One of the Clinton papers, we neither know nor care which, is an object of charity and a clog to town progress. Laurens might support another gro cery or drygoods store. There Is us ually danger of crowding. Hence woe ful (allures. But there Is some elas ticity always in the mercantile field. A town can, however, spend a certain amount in advertising. That amount varies little except of course with the town's growth. If tho New York Her ald were printed here, the amount of money spent by Laurens men in adver tising would not be perceptibly in creased. Advertising is the main sup port of nowspaperp. Generally speak ing newspaper makers can spend on their product according to the prices they can ask and f-et (or advertising space. Unless The Advertiser and The Herald are inferior and unworthy pa pers, they are as good :\s the flold here will sustain. We are familiar with the county papers of the state and we be lieve that the two Laurens papeus are up to the avorage and above it. Tbere may be better in South Carolina than either but no town of anything approx imating the size of Laurens has two Papers which are superior to tho two here. Assuredly, anybody has a right to es tablish a newspaper or to make the trial. Any man would be entitled to buy a press and commenco newspaper ing here tomorrow without interfer ence from The Herald or The Adver tiser. The race of idlolswho are born newspaper men, in their minds, will never be totally exterminated and the members will continue to burn their own and other guileless persons' money for some centuries. A man with money and brains nnd Industry, moreover, may some time put a paper here that will choke out The Herald or Adver viser, but ho will have a big contract. The Herald is a historic paper in South Carolina. It has been a hard fighter for more than half a century. Hard fighters always have friends that ?tick hard. The Horald is seasoned and tough and has at levst nine lives left. An old newspaper Is the most vital In stitution In the word. A new newspa per is as easily killed as a turkey just hatohed. The Advertiser has llvod nearly 18 years, long enough to be as good a life insurance risk as it will ever be. It passed through tbo teething period in Conway Garllngton's day here and it has not needod a dentist since. It is in a better state of health, has a better circulation and more substantial friends than ever before. Nevertheless it is making smaller profits than it made 10 years ago for the simple reasons that the volume of official advertising has dwindled woefully And that the prices obtainable for job work are about 50 per cent less than formerly. In this part of South Caro lina job printing is today [done at smaller profits than anywhere we know of. In the early eighties a second paper was starteT1le1re."Tt failed--I-^ans was too small. Then came The Ad vettiser and like the poor is with you always. In 1896 a third paper ventured out of its shell. It is no more. Then for the second tim<* a third paper oame. It did not fail. It kept going?and went. It was nobody's fault. The trouble was that three heads couldn't be orowded Into two hats and the only available hate were already pulled down tight to the ears of The Advertiser and The Horald. The lesson is for the people?espec ially the merohants. They are the coal supply of the papers. They waste money when thoy buy advertis ing in experimental newspapers. Ad vertising is valueless comparatively in a paper that has not lived and lived well for several years. In other words, a newspaper ought to have no especial claims on the public until it has proved that It is a legitimate business enter prise. We mean by this that no merchant can be sure that the circulation of a new newspaper has value. Any man can send out free papers. Advertising in free papers is as good as poster advertising . and no better The chief value of a newspaper to the merchant lies in its character and reputation. A paper of Standing and influence is read. Its ad vertisements are appreciated by men and women who have sufficient regard for the paper to pay for it. Fraudulent claims by new newspapers are the com monest kind of frauds known. When a man or company set out to start a newspaper they should expeot to lose money for a long time and should have enough capital to stand the loss. Occa sionally the conditions are exceptional, flbe need for a new paper l's sharp and the^ule does not apply. Merchants here are too prone to throw\away their money on hopeless papers. TSttiey thereby stunt the growth of the old papers and fail to create new ones. In othW words the general re sult is wauo. Now The ADvjrariSER asks the peo pie, since the situation is cleared and a rational newspaper basis has been reachod, to give the two old papers a show. They have stood by the town through good and evil. They are uot getting rich fast. They are not gold mines. Thoy are earning a living. Tbey have their frailties und short comings but we ask the people, the people who advertise and subscribe, not to encourage in future a newspapor undertaking which could be only a de structive business, unwarranted by the conditions and only a cut throat in com petition. While the third paper was hero this could not be written. It would not havo been fair nor generous. That pa per had a right to make its effort, its methods were honest and The Adver tiser would fight only by tho means that we regarded strair/ht in newspa per circles. But we hope that the peo ple* for the sake of thoir town's and county's interests will not soon again scatter the limited amount of money they are able to oxpend on newspapers and necessary to keep two papers at the county seat alive in respectability. * ? * An Easy Boss. If Governor Hey ward can interest n fow strong, earnest and honest men in Charleston to aggressivoly "back him up" in efforts to enforce the dispensary law in that town, something may bo accomplished. Possibly. Possibly not. But the real difficulty is that the per sons most interested in the disponsary law aro not always most interested in its enforcement. If the pooplo of South Carolina knew or could know all about the dispensary system it would not be abolished perhaps but somebody's job might bo abolished. To put tho same idea in another way, somebody might be abolished out of a job. But the peo ple can never know. Now and then you find if you look sharp a mighty shrewd, nico, clover fellow among the dlspen?ary people and as a matter of fact most of tho people can be fooled most of the time. From some points of view the state of South Carolina is a big thing but from many the South Carolina dispensary is a vast deal bigger. How some ver, so long as cotton brings nine cents or even eight, tho peoplo will get along under the administration of the dispensary system just about as well as the people of some other States livo un der the administration of the Standard OH trust or this or that great railway corporation. Lt counts little who is your b -ss if bo, or it, is easy. * * * Board of Trade. The newly organized Board of Trade of Laurens made a good start by elect ing Col. T. D. Darlington, a young bueinoss man of broad, progressive and aggressive ideas, president. In movements of this charaoter there is everything in having a good head at the head and Tint Advertiser be lieves that a happy selection was made in Mr. Darlington. The other officers are also first rate business men who will give Mr. Darlington zealous assist ance and the Laurens Board of Trade will be a real, counting factor in the furtherance of the interests of the city. Of coin-so The Advertiser has been urging the formation of this board for months?years for that mat ter?and that it has been formed is a source of gratification. As long as the members of the Board work they will be interested in the work and in time ?perhaps not so long?they will see results. Every business man and pro fessional man should join this Board and having joined, attend the meetings and en?er heartily into what is under taken. * * * Wanted Better Fertilizers. One of the great needs of the farmers is better fertilizers. The fertilizers ?old arc what thoy are said to be and we are not suggesting that anybody is oheated. The difficulty is that tho grades offered and bought are too cheap. The farmers could save money by buying fertilizers with more plant food and psying of course higher prices for them. It oosts just as much to haul low grades in wagons and freight cars as high grades. When good feitili/.'jrs are put down, there Is a permanent im provement to the land but when tons of ordinary rook with a small proportion of ammnonia and potash are distri buted, the permanent improvement is inconsiderable. The freights and cos* of distribution are far too srn-Sktt for the .present qualities of^fertilizers not to be expensive toAhe thrifty and intelli gent farmel*T Cures Rheumatism and Catarrh?Medi cine Sent Free. These two diseases are the result of an awful poisoned condition of the b'ood. If you have aching joints and back, shoulder blades, bone pains, crippled hands, legs or feet, swollen muscles, shifting, sharp biting pains, and that tired discouraged feeling of rheumatism, or the hawking, spitting blurred eyesight, deafness, sick stom ache, noises in the head, mucous throat discharges, deoaying teeth, bad breath, belching gas of catarrh, take Botanlo Blood Balm (B. B. B.) It kills the poi son in the b'.ood which causes these aw ful symptoms, giving a pure, healthy blood supply to the joints and mucous membranes, and makes a perfect oure of tb^ worst rheumatism or foulest ca tarrh. Cures when all else fails. Blood Balm (B. ft.) is composed of pure Botanlo ingredients, good for weak kid neys. Improves digestion, cures dvs pepsla. A perfeet tonic, for old foiks by wiving them new, rich', puro blood. Thoroughly tested for thirty years. Drugqists 81.00 per largo bottle, with complete direotions for home oure. Sample free and prepaid by writing Blood Balm Co., Atlanta, Ga. Describe trouble and special free medioal advice sent in sealed letter. Sold in Laurens by B. F. Posey. MERCHANTS NEWS. When you need anything in our line remember that wo pay the freight to any point in South Carolina on all bills brought of us amounting to ten doiiars or over. S. M. &, E. H. Wilkes. Don't try to go through the winter without a heater, but get a Bucks wbioh will pay for itself in a short time in the amount of fuel it will use. B. M. & E. H. Wilkes. Just arrived some vory protty do signs and colors in Brussells Rugs, which we will be glad for you to call fcnd see. / S. M. Sc K. H. Wilkee. 4* BLACK ROCK RALPH CONNOR CHAPTER VIII. THE BREAKING OV TUB LEAGUE. ?IIERE Is no doubt In my mind that nature deslgued mo for a groat painter. A.railway director Interfered with that desigu of nature, as be has with many another of here, and by the transmis sion of aii order for mountain piecos by the dozen, together wltb a check uO large that I feared tbere was 901110 mistake, he determined me to be an Illustrator and designer for rnilwuy and like publications. I do not like tbeso pcoplo ordering "by the dozen." Why should they not consider an art ist's finer feelings? Perhaps they can not understand them, but they under stand my pictures, and I understand their chocks, and there we aro quits. But so It came that I remained in Black Rock lone enough to wltuess tho breaking of the league. Looking back upon the events of that night from the midst of gentle and de cent snrroundlngs, they now seem strangely unreal, but to me then they appeared only nutural. It was the Good Friday boll that wrecked the league, for tho fact that the promoters of tho ball determined that It should be a ball rather than a danco was taken by tho league men as a concession to tho new public opinion In favor of respectability created by the league. And when the manager's patronage bad been secured?they fail ed to get Mrs. Mayor's?and It was further announced that, though held in the Black Rock hotel ballroom?indeed thero was no other place? refreshments suited to the peculiar tastes of league men would bo provided, It was felt to bo almost a necessity that tho league should approve, should indeed wel come, this concession to the public opinion In favor of respectability creat ed by the league. Thero wero extreme men on both sides, of course. "Idaho Jack," profes sional gambler, for Instance, frankly considered that tho whole town was going to unmentionable depths of pro priety. The organization of the league was regarded by blm and by ninny oth ers as a sail retrograde toward the bondage of the ancient and dying east, and that he could not get drunk -when and where ho pleased "Idaho," as ho was called, regarded as a personal grievance. But Idaho was never enamored of the social ways of Black Rock. Ho was shocked and disgusted when be discovered that a "gun" was decreed by British law to bo on unnecessary adornment of a card table. The man ner of bis discovery inuBt have been Interesting to behold. It is said that Idaho was Industrious ly pursuing his avocation In Slavlu's, With his gun lying upon tho card tnblo convenient to his hand, when In walk ed Policeman Jackson, her majesty's sole representative in the Black Rock district. Jackson?"StonewallJackson," or "Stonewall," ns ho was called for obvious reasons?after watching tbo game for n few moments gently tapped the pistol and isked what ho used this for. "I'll show you In two holy minutes if you don't light out," said Idaho, hard ly looking up, but very angrily, for the luck was against him. But Jackson tapped upon tho table and said sweet ly: "You're a stranger here. You ought to get a guidebook and post yourself. Now, the boys know I don't interfero with an innocent little game, but thero is a regulation against playing it wltb guns; so." he added, even more sweet ly, but fastening Idaho with a look from his steel gray eyes, "Ifll Just take charge of this," picking up the revolv er. "It might go off." Idaho's rage, great as It was, was quite swallowed up in his amazed dis gust at the state of society that would permit sucb nu outrage upon personal liberty, no was quite uuablo to play any more that evening, and It took sev eral drinks all round to restore him to articulate speech. The rest of tho niglft was spent In retailing for his Instruc tion stories of tho ways of Stonewall Jackson. ..? Idaho-bought a new gun, but he wore JA "in his clothes" and used It chiefly in the pnstlmo of shooting out tho lights or in picking off tbo heels from the boy/;' boots while n stag danco was In progress In Slnvin's. But In Stone wall's presence Idaho was a most cor rect citizen. Stonownll he could under stand and appreciate. He was 0 feet 8 and had an eyo of unpleasant penetra tion. But this new feeling in tbe com munity for respectability he could nei ther understand nor enduro. The league became tho object of bis Indignant aversion and the league men of his contempt. Ho bad many sympathizers, nnd frequent were tbo assaults upon the uowly born sobriety of Billy Breen and other* of the league, but Geordie/s watchful care and Mrs. Mavor's steady influence, together with tbe loyal co operation of the league men, kept Billy safo so for. Nixon, too, was a marked man. It may.be that he carried him self with unnecessary jnuntlness to ward Slavln and Idaho, saluting the former with, "Awful dry weather, eh, Slavln?" and tho latter with, "Hello, old sport! How's times?" causing them to swear deeply nnd, as it turned out to do more than swear. But, on tbe whole, tbo nntllcngue men wero In favor of a respectable ball, and most of the league men deter mined to show their appreciation of tbe concession of tho committeo to tbo principles of tbo league in tbo impor tant matter of refreshments by attend ing in force. Nixon would not go. However Jaun tily bo might talk, ho could not trust himself, ns ho said, where whisky was flowing, for it got Into his nose "liko a fishhook Into a snlmou." Ho was from Nova Scotia. For like r&ason Vernou Wlnton, tbe young Oxford fellow, would not go. When they chaffed, bis lips grew a llttlo thinner nnd the color deepened In his handsome face, but ho went on bis wuy. Gcordio despised the "bale hypothlck" as a "daft ploy," and the spending of $5 upon a ticket he 1 considered a "slnfu* waste o' guld sll- ' ler," nnd be warned Billy against 1 "coontennncln' ony sic redeeklus non- J sense." But no one expected Billy to go, Al though In the last two mouths bo bad done wonders for bis personal Appear ance ami for bis position In tho social scale "a yell. They nil knew wholt A fight he whs making and esteemed mm j accordingly. How well I rememberuhe pleasod prale In his face when l??\tol,d ino in the iiftefTiooh of Ihe'com mit toe's urgent request that he should Join the orchestra with Iiis collol It was not simply that his cello was his joy and pride, but ho felt It to be a recognition of his return to respectability. I have ofteu wondered how things combine at times to a man's destruc tion. Had Mr. Craig not been away at the Landing that week, had Qeordlc not been on the night shift, had Mrs. Ma vor not been so occupied with the enre of her sick child, it may bo Billy might have been saved his fall. , The anticipation of the ball stirred Black Kock nnd the camps with a thrill of expectant delight. Nowudays when I find myself forced to leave my quiet smoke in my Btmiio after dinnor at tho call of some social engagement which I have failed to elude I groan at my hard lot, and I wonder as I look hack nnd remember the pleasurable antici pation with which I viewed tho ap proaching bnll. But I do not wonder now any more than I did then at the eager delight of tho men who for seven days hi tho week swung their picks up In the dark breasts of the mines or who chopped and sawed among the solitary silences of the great forests. Any break in tho long and weary monotony was welcome. What mattered tho cost or consequence? To the rudest and least cultured of them the sameness of tho life must have been hard to bear, but what It was to men who had seen life in its most cultured and attractive forms I fall to imagine. From the mine, black and foul, to the shack, bare, cheerless and sometimes hideously re pulsive, life swung in heart grinding monotony till tho louglng for a "big drink" or some other "big break" be came too great to bear. It was well on toward evening when Sandy's four horse team, with a load of men from tho woods, came swing ing round tho curves of the mountain road and down tho street. A gay crowd they were with their bright, brown faces and hearty voices, and in ten minutes the whole street seem ed alive 'with lumbermen?they had a faculty of spreading themselves so. After night fell the miners came down "done up slick," for this was a great occasion, nnd they must bo up to it. The manager appeared in evening dress, but this was voted "too giddy" by the majority. As Graeme and I passed up to the Blnck Bock hotel, In tho largo store room of which the ball was to be hold, we met old mau Nelson, looking very grave. "Going, Nelson, nren't you?" I said. "Yes," - ho answered slowly. "I'll drop In, though I don't like the looks of things much." "What's the matter, Nelson?" naked Graeme cheerily. "There's no funeral on." "Perhaps not," replied Nelson, "but I wish Mr. Crnlg were at home." And then he added, "There's Idaho and Slavln together, nnd you may bet the dovll Isn't far off." But Graeme laughed at his suspicion, and we passed on. The orchestra was tuning up. There were two violins, a concertina and tho cello. Billy Breen was lovingly lingering his Instrument, now nnd then Indulging himself In a little snatch of sonic air that came to him out of his happier pnst. He look ed perfectly delighted, and as I paused to listen ho gave me a proud glance out of his deep, little, bluo eyes nnd went on playing softly to himself. Present ly Shaw came along. "That's good, Billy," ho called out. "You've got tho trick yot, I see." But Billy only nodded and went on playhfg. "Where's Nixon?" I asked. "Gone to bed," said Shaw, "and I nm glad of it. He finds that the safest place on pay day afternoon. The boys don't bother him there," The dancing room was lined on two sides with beer barrels and whisky kegs,?t one end the orchestra sat; at the other was a table with refresh ments, where the soft drinks might be bad. Thune who wanted anyihing else might pass through a short passago into the bar just behind. This was evidently a superior kind of bnll, for the men kept on their coats nnd went through the various figures with faces of unnatural solemnity, but tho strain upon their feelings was quite apparent, and It becamo a question how long It could he maintained. As the trips through tho passagoway be-, camo more frequent tbo dancing grew In vigor nnd hilarity until by the time, supper was announced the stiffness, bad sufficiently vanished to give noj further anxiety to the committee. But the committee had other cause for concern, inasmuch as after supper certain of tho miners appeared with their coats off and proceeded to "knock the knots out of the floor" In break down dances of extraordinary'energy. These, however, were beguiled into the barroom nnd "filled up" for safety, for tho commit tee' were determined that the respectability of the.ball should be preserved to tho end. Their reputation was at stake not In Black Rock only, but at tho Landing as .we'll, from which most of tho ladles had come, and to be shinned In the presence of tho Landing people could not be bprne. Their diffi culties seemed to bo" Increasing, for at this point something seemed to go wrong with tho orchestra. The cello appeared to bo wandering aimlessly up and down tho scale, occasionally pick ing up with tho tuno with animation and then dropping it. As Billy saw me approaching ho drew himself up with groat solemnity, gravely winked at me and said: "Shllpped a cog, MIsther .Connorl Mosh bun fortunate! Beaucblful hln strumcnt, but shllps n cog. Mosh nun fortunate!" And ho wagged his Httlo head sagely, playing all tho while for dear life, now second nnd now lead. Poor Billy! I pitied him, but I thought chiefly of tho beautiful, eager face that leaned loword blm the night the league was mado and of the bright volco that said, "You'll sign with me, Billy?" and it seemed to mo a cruel deed to make him lose tits grip of life and hope, for this is what the pledge meant to him. While I was trying to get Billy awmy to some safe place I heard a" great shouting in tho direction "of the bar, followed by trampling/ and scuffling of feet In tho passageway. Suddenly a man burst through, crying: "Let me go! Stand back I I know What I'm about!" Sj It was Nixon, dressed lD.pt? bf*t~. black-clothes,-bluo' Bblrt, red tlo, look lug hnudsomo enough, but half drunk and wildly excited. Tbe "Highland Fling" competition was on at tbo mo ment, aud Angus Campbell, Lacblan's brother, wo? representing the lumber comps In the contest. N'lxon looked on approvingly for a few moments. Then,' with a quick movement, he seized the. little highbinder, swung him in bis powerful arms clean off tbo floor and deposited him gently upon a boer bar rel. Then be stepped Into tbo center of tbo room, bowed to the Judges and be gan n sailor's hornpipe. The 'commltteo were perplexed, but after deliberation they decided to bu1 mor the new competitor, especially ns they knew that Nixon with whisky in him was unpleasant to cross. Lightly and gracefully ho went through bis steps, tbo men crowding In from tbe bar to admire, for Nixon was famed for his hornpipe, lint when after the hornpipe be proceeded to ex ecute a clog dance, garnished with acrobatic fonts, tbo commltteo Inter fered. Thero 'were cries of "Put him out!" nnd "Let hljn alone! Co on, Nix on!" And Nixon hurled back Into tho crowd two of the committee who had laid remonstrating hands upon him, and, standing in tbe open center, cried out scornfully: "Put mo out! Put me out! Certainly! Help yourselves! Don't mind nie!" Thon, grinding his teeth so that I heard them across the room, bo added, with savage deliberation, "If any man lays a linger on me, I'll?I'll eat bis liver cold." He stood for a few moments glaring round upon tho company and then strode toward the bar, followed by tho crowd, wildly yelling. Tho ball was forthwith broken up. I looked around for Billy, but he was nowhere to be seen. Graeme touched my arm. "There's going to bo something of a time, so Just keep your eyes skinned," he snid. "What are you going to do?" I asked. "Do? Keep myself beautifully out of trouble," be replied. In a few moments tbe crowd enmo surging back, headed by Nixon, who was waving a whisky bottle over his head and yelling as one possessed. "Hellol" exclaimed Graeme softly. "I begin to see. Look tbere!" "What's up?" I asked. "You seo Idaho and Slavln nnd their pets," he replied. "They've got poor Nixon in tow. Idnbo Is rather nasty," he added, "but I think I'll take a hand In this game. I've seen some of Idaho's work before." The scene was ono quite strange to me nnd was wild beyond description. A hundred men tilled the room. Bottles were passed from band to band, and men drank their fill. Behind tho re freshment tables stood the hotel man nnd his barkeeper, with their coats off and sleeves rolled up to the shoulder, passing out bottles and drawing beer and whisky from two kegs hoisted up for that purpose. Nixon was in bis glo ry. It was bis night. Every man was to get drunk at his expense, ho pro claimed, flinging down bills upon tbe table. Near him were some lenguo men he was treating liberally, and never far away were Idaho and Slavln passing bottles, but evidently drinking little. I followed Graeme, not feeling too comfortable, for this sort of thing was new to me, but admiring the cool as surance with which be made bis .way through the crowd that swayed and yelled and sworo and laughed in a most disconcerting manner. "Hello!" shouted Nixon ns ho caught sight of Graeme. "Hero you are!" passing hi in a bottle. "You're a knocker, n double bunded front door' knocker. You polished off old whisky sonk here, old demijohn," pointing to Slnvin, "and PU lay five to one wo can lick any blankcty blank thieves in the crowd." Aud ho held up a roll of bills. But Graeme proposed that he should give the hornpipe again, and tho floor was cleared at once, for Nixon's horn-, pipe was very popular and tonight, of course, was in high favor. In tho midst of his dance Nixon stopped short; his arms dropped to his sides; his face had a look of fear, of horror. There, before (din, in his riding cloak and boots, with his whip In Iiis hnnd ns ho hod come from his ride, stood Mr. Crnlg. Ills face Vns pallid, and. his dark oyeg were blazing with Ilerco light. . As Nixon stopped, Cralg step ped forward to him, and, sweeping bis eyes round upon the circle, he said {u tones intense with scorn: "You cowards! You get a man where he's weak! Cowards! You'd damn his soul for bis money!" There was a dead silence, nnd Cralg, lifting his hat, said solemnly: "May God forgive you this night's work I" Then, turning to Nixon nnd throwing his arm over bis shoulder, be said In a voice broken and husky: "Como on, Nlxon! We'll go!" Idaho made a motion ns If to stop him, but Graeme stepped quickly for ward and said sharply, "Make way there, can't you?" nnd tho crowd fell back, and we four passed through, Nlxon walking ns In n dream, with Crolg's arm about him. Down the street we Went In silence and on to Cralg's shack, where we found old man Nelson, with the fire blazing nnd strong coffee steaming on the stove. It was ho that bad told Cralg, on his ar rival from the Landing, of Nixon's fall. Thero was nothing of reproach, but only gentlest pity, In tone and touch as Cralg placed tho half drunk, dazed innn in his easy choir, took off his boots, brought him his own slippers and gave him coffee. Then, ns ids stu por began to overcome lilm, Crnlg put him In his own bed nnd como forth with a face written over with grief. "Don't mind, old chop," said Graeme kindly. Brft Crnlg looked at him without a word and, throwing himself Into a chnlr, put his faco In his hands. As we pat thero In sllcnco tho door was sud denly pushed open, and in wnlkod Abo Baker, with tho words, "Wbero Is Nlx on?" nnd wo told him wbero ho wns. Wo were still talking when again a tap came to tbe door, and Shaw came In looking much disturbed. "Did you bear about Nlxon?" ho ask ed. We told him what wo knew. '/But did you hear how they got bltu?" ho asked excitedly. As be told us tbo .talo tho men stood listening, with faces growing hard.. It appeared that after the making of tho lenguo the Blnck Bock hotel man had bet Idaho n hundred.to fifty that Nlxon could not bo got to drink beforo Easter. All Idaho's schemes bad failed, nnd now ho bad only three days In which to win bis money, and tbe ball was his last chance. Here, again, he was balked, for'Nlxon, resisting all en treaties, barred ills shock door and went to bed before nightfall, according to bis Invariable custom on pay days, At midnight some of Idaho's men came battering at the door for admission, which Nlxon reluctantly granted. For half on hour they used every art of persuasion to Induce him to go down to the ball, the glorious subcesa of wbleb was glowingly depleted, but Nixon remained Imwovoblo^gB they Jin Ancient Foe Tte health and happiness is Scrofula? as ugly as ever since time immemorial. It causes bunches in the neck, dis figures tho skin, inflames the mucous membrane, wastes the muscles, weak ens the bones, reduces tho power of resistance to disease and the capacity for recovery, aivd develops into con sumption. "A bunch appeared on the loft side of my neck. It caused grcafrpain, was lanced, and became a running sore. I went Into a general decline. I was persuaded to try flood's Sarsaparllla, and when I had taken sii bottles my neck was healed, and I have never had any troublo of the kind since." Mrs. K. T. Snydkr-, Troj> Ohio. Hood's Sarsaparilla and Pills will rid* you of it*, radically and per nfanently, as they have rid thousands. took their departure, battled and curs lug. In two houib they returned drunk enough to bo dangerous, kicked at the door In vain, finally gained entrance through the window, hauled Nixon out of bed and, holding a glass of whisky to his lips, bid him drink, but he knock ed the glass away, spilling the liquor over himself and the bed. it was drink or fight, and Nixon was ready to fight, but after a parley tbey had a drink all round and fell W per suasion again. The night was cold, and poor Nlxou sat shivering on the edgo of his bed. If ho would take one drink, they would leave him alone. He need not show himself so stiff. The whisky fumes filled his nostrils. If one drink would get them off. surely that was better than fighting nnd killing somo ouc or gcttiug killed. Ho hesitated, yielded, drank his glass. They sat about him amiably drinking and laud ing him as a fine fellow after all. Ono more glass before they left; then Nixon rose, dressed himself, drank all that was left of the bottle, put his money In bis pocket nnd came down to the dance wild with his old time mndness, reckless of faith nnd pledge, forgetful of homo, wife, babies, his whole being absorbed In one great passion?to drink nnd drink and drink till he could drink no more. Hof ore Shaw had finished his talo Craig's eyes were streaming with tears, and groans of rage nnd pity broke al ternately from him. Abe remained speechless for a time, not trusting himself, but as he heard Crnlg groan, "Oh, tho beasts, the fiends I" he seemed encournged to let himself loose, nnd he began swearing with the coolest and most bloodcurdling deliberation. Crnlg listened with evident approval, apparently finding complete satisfac tion in Abe's performance, when sud denly he Bceined to wnken up, caught Abe by the arm nnd said in a horror stricken voice: "Stop! Stop! God forgive us! We must not Bwear like this." Abe stopped at once and In n sur prised nnd slightly grieved voice said: "Why, what's tho matter with that? Ain't that what you wanted?" "Yes, yes. God forgive me! I am afraid it was," he answered hurriedly, "but I must not." "Oh, don't you worry I" wont on Abo cheerfully. "I'll look after that part And anyway nln't they the blankest blankety blank"? going off again into n roll of curses till Craig, In an agony of entreaty, succeeded in arresting the tlow of profanity possible to no one but a mountain stage driver. Abe paused, looking hurt, nnd asked if they did not deserve everything he was call ing down upon them. "Yes, yes." urged Craig, "but that Is not our business." "Well, so I reckoned," replied Abe, recognizing the limitations of the cloth. "You ain't used to It, nnd you can't bo expeeted to do it, but it just makes me feel good?let out of school like?to properly do 'em up, the blank, blank"? And off he went again. It was only under the pressure of Mr. Craig's pray ers nnd commands that he finally agreed to "hold In, though It's tough." "What's to be done?" asked Shaw. "Nothing," answered Crnlg bitterly. He was exhausted with his long ride from the Lauding und broken with bit ter disappointment over tho ruin of nil that he had labored so long to accom plish. "Nonsense{" said Graeme. "There's e good deal to do." it was agreed that Crnlg should re main with Nixon, while the others of us should gather up what fragments we could lind of the broken league. We had just opened tho door when we met a man striding up at a great pace. It was Geordio Crawford. "Mae ye seen tho lad?" was his salu tation. s No one replied, so I told Geordio of my last sight of Hilly In the orchestra. "An* did yo 110' gang aifter hhn?" ho asked In indignant surprise, adding, with some contempt, "Mon, but ye'ro a feckless huddle!" "Billy gone, too?" said Shaw. "They might have lot Hilly alone. Poor Crnlg stood In dumb agony. Billy's fall seemed more thnn he could benr. Wo went out, leaving him heart broken amid the ruins of his league. [to hb continued.] A Carton* State c" Affair?. You must bo very cam ous how you treat your neighbor in Isle of Jersey, for ho enn have you arrested on the slightest pretext and If he has n grudgo against you can bring about such a calamity by simply giving a fic tional account of your misconduct to tho nearest lawyer. Tho latter will de mand a fine, and should you decline to pay It ho will cause you to be thrown Into prison to nwalt trial. Then, even If you nro acquitted on tho ground that tho charge Is unfounded, you have ab solutely no claim against your persecu tor, though you may havo suffered a couplo of months' Imprisonment for nothing.?London Tit-Bits. Eternity. An unconventional preacher under took to give his hearers a vivid con ception of eternity. This Is the way ho did it: "If n little sparrow wero to dip Its hill in tho Atlantic ocean and tako one drop of water and then tako ono hop a dny across tho country and put that drop in the Pacific ocean and then hop hnck to the Atlantic, one hop1 a day, until the Atlantic was dry as a bone, it wouldn't be sun-up In hades." j Bad HoKliinl 11? MftUea ilnK-k ICndtna;, "So tho engagement's off?" "Yes; she advised him to practice economy.Tlnd ho started in by getting! her an imitation diamond."?Detroit Free Press. Russians who aro religious do not eat pigeons because*of the sanctity con ferred on tho dovo In tho Scriptures. Gab Is nine points iu an argument.-. Portland Oregon Ian, ??? -?u? A\fegetable Pf epara?onfor As - slrnilating meFoodand?egula ?iut the Stomachs and Bowels oi ?lNKVN ls/( HILDKtN Promotes Digcslion.Cneerfuh nessartdRest.Contains neither Srium,Morphii\e nor>?iu?ral. ot "narcotic. Jhc^e ofOU?tSMUSLPtTCN?R %'nmtw. Apetfecl Remedy forConstipa Tlon, Sour Stomach, Diarrhoea Worms .Convulsions .Feverish ness and Loss of Sleep. FacSin?lo Stgnoturcj>r NEW YORK. A t i> i in? ii Ih n ??Iii ' j 3 1> O S ? S - fryC INIS EXACT COPY OF WRAPPER. feo--a CAS For Infants and Children, The Kind You Haife Always Bou< Bears the Signature of Thirty Years CA THE CCMTAUn COMPANY. NLVf VOHK CITY. R, P. MILAM & CO., We oiler to our Farmers the chance to buy goods, especially Groceries, at? OL/OSJ3 PRICES .We sell all Supplies, the best kinds, at. L/OW FIGURES and make your dollars go furthest by trading here. Try us and see for yourselves. Our Undertaker's Stock is Complete. We cany a well selected stock of everything from the cheapest Coffin to the host Me talic Cases ; in cloth goods wo carry the best?among them embossed white plush goods; also black, full rfsW^T^"^$~ draped in cloth. A First-class Hearse ?n^^CS^^lF^11611 wanted. We can furnish while .-'or Liack horses when desired. Al night or Sunday 'Phone R. P. Milam's residence or call on J. Mills Hunter at the Crisp House. Respectfully, R. P. MILAN & CO. Stepping Stoaes to Prosperity THE SUCCESSFUL PLANTER FERTILIZED HIS LANDS...... The Vxrguai*Carol^ Cbcmk^l Co,, 'MsotActoNMb* best Fcrffim^JfertfcV Will it Spread? What? Fame or Paint? Both. Its fame Aas gone broadcast and all users know that It spreads well under the brush. The Sherwin-Williams Paint. Conn Mose, Look? But, Wears Longeot,Mo4t?ooRomioeJt Full Moaiuro. n SOLD bv BROOKS & JONES, I ^urens, S. C,