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I [Christmas Carol | By Charles Dkkens. E "A in;vr\ < nrirr.as t>> us nii. fi?y I r dears! Mess rs " Whieh a'J the family re-eehoed. i "God !>! ss every ??;??-!"* ; \ Tim. the last <>f all. He sat very ch>se in his father's, V pide uuon liK little ? '. !:? ? m <t I hi a with "j*ed little hand in Irs ; if loved the eliild and wished ti< i:t ;> him hy his sale and dr'-ad <1 ili.it i mitdu Ik- iakv-n from him. "Mr. S' fne^e." S lid I'd : ' yotl Ml". S<Too;re, t!ie f. under r ? i?* e-. feast." "The founder of the feast ind crle<l Mrs. Cratehit. reddeniir;. "1 wish I had him here. 1 d viv<- ' a. ntoeo i.f r tr.ind t fea -1 U-o'.i. ' (hope Ivm! l-ro n t%.r ? ." "Ai.v <Ii . r. s.iu I" ">?:? < i . .1 ^Ttrisfinas <1:iy.** "It s!s*?:i!il hi? Christ- ?h>y. T am furo." sai.l -1?'. "?m v.hi h one ?irv hthe health <>f su?h an nlhns > ; :\. hard. unfeeling man as Mr. You know he is. Ituhi-n. Nh'mnIv knows it hotter limn y??*i <!>>. 7>?.r f< low." "My ?hv r.** was Itoh's -ui'd ar.s'iev. k.. "Til o j**\ his he-'lrh vmir say . P ami th?* ifsiy'O s.iiil Mtv O.tN-h'f. fi. "not for his. I.< ng V:V t<> h 1 A K merrv C!v N-:tias ami a \t Year. ?. M ">e very merry nial v.-ry I , happy ! ' e r The oh-Wr a clrrrk 'he :.f* ? her, Jt was i'v first < T fh"v* i?r<*?-ep?ii Jnjjis whilad 1.0 he " ;t"s- it. > Tiny Tim d-ml: *t last < : he didn't ? are r'vojr ar e f- r :X Ser?? ye 3 "??<!> IIUKSK IWtUY ONK.' SAIL> TIV* TIU. was-the ogre .if the fatt-jlv. Thi inentiun su' his name ca.s* -x dark shadow on tin* party which ?va^ not -dispelled for fall five -minutes. And now. without ? word of 'warning frou? the ghost. they .stood u|s?n. |k 41 Weak ami ?<5<-sort UKK.r, where uionrtrouh masses of rudest one \\m* east , about as tluaigh it vwere the burial place -if gi::ubi. and -.water sjictad it elf wlicresimuT it lifted? or it would have -done So but fur the fn?i that held it prisoHet?aud u?4hiug grew but. Sjr jtnuMM and furxe aud coarse, rank-grass. Xowii.iu the vwst thessettlug sun had. left a streak of .fiery rod. which .glared upon tin -desolation for.au insuiu: dikea-sullen e.v and. fruwumg lower lower, lower yet. twos lot*', in flie cthick gloom of darkest .night It -.was a gresfi surps-ve ito .S?m>og?* vriille .tisteiung iU' tbe uoaniugvrf theWind and .thinking what a wlftrtnu ghing 3t was to move-or through the lonely ^larkaess over an uukwowu abyss whose depSns were -secret* .11* profound as sleatk. It was .a great . wurprise itn .-Scrooge while thus .engaged to ihe:tr -.u hearty laugl. It -was a greater surprise to Scrooge :t? ' V'? recognlxe 51 as ihis .? wu nephewts and to find liitiiseif ni a height, idry. gleaming room, with rhe spirtt standh.g emftlnc 1?.v h-s Kide aud looking at thrt unme nephew w'n h approving affahf, "He *ski tkist -fhristmas -war a hum toOR. its I tire. cxieu h>vt<?ih* ? iu-jm?*?w. "Tte liefievod St to*.!" **More <fc.tuh? for him Frett" said loroog<<'.s tiieue indignantly. 'Bless those iromcii They never do anything l>y '??1ves. "Phey *ne always In earnest Kh?? \vn-? very |rreliy. exceedingly pretty, with a dimpled. surprised looking. capital fa<-e. h ripe little mouth thnt seemed made W Ite kissed?as no doubt it wa<~all kinds ?>f good little dot# about her eld* that melted into one another when !*he laughed and the sunniest pair of eyes yon .ever saw In any little creature* head. Altogether nhe was what yon would have ! called provoking, you know, but satisfactory. too oh. perfec tly satisfactory! "He's a coudcal old fellow.** said Scrooges nephew?"that's the truth ?and not SO oVasant as he might lie. j However, h'? ??Teiises carry their own j punishment, and I hare nothing to say against hi in.** "I have if, patience with him." oh- ' served Scrooge's niece. Scrooge's niece's sisters and all the other ladies expressed the same opinion. "Oh. I have!" said Scrooge's neph- ' ew. "I tin sorry for him. 1 couldn't he angry with him if I tried. Who suffers by his ill whims? Himself always. Here he takes it into his head to dislike us. and he won't come and dim with us. What's the consequence V TI" doesn't lose much of ji Inner." "Indeed. ( think he loses a very good dinner." int.-minted Scrooge's nie<e. Ever.vt?nl\ else said the same, and tbey must he allowed to have hooti compete I judge* because they had just inn. dinner and. with the desscr; ; upon tin* mhie. were elustored round the lire hy lamplight. "Well, 1 am very glad to hear it.'' ! said St route's nephew, "because I i haven't any great faith in these young | housekeepers, What do you say, Top- i 1 V ,j\.: v_s'v per?" 1 Toi.jm r had <1 ariy ::.-t k:s eye upon <>nc of Si-rooyo's unco's sisters. for he ? answered that a linelielor was a 1 wretched outea*t who had lio right 5 to express an opinion on the subject. ( whereat Scrooge's niece's sister?tile 1 plutup one with the lace tucker, net ' the one with the roses blushed. After ten tliey ! :?! sonic tiittsie. f 1 they were a inus:--:tl family and knew ' what they wore about when tlie;, s.iu. ' a sloe 1 r catch. I < an assure vmi. esp"- ' I cin'Iv T< poor, o ! < < ? old growl awn -" I in the in'ss like a a'-" d < be and never sweil tiie largo veins in his forehead or go: red in th" face over it : <5er?Kite's nice play, d well upon the ' harp and atnon" other ilinos, a simpi little air to mev nothing you nigh. i ' learn to v I ii in two minutes' which had fcitsil'ar t<? the child Who fetched Scri'i'fo front the lwardinp School. ;|S It" had heel) reminded 1 hy the tlh..sf of Christmas Past. | Wh M th" t. in. r 'ioi?'o si nnded all 1 the ?11- t!1: t ? h id shown Mut j !?? (? ? dud. ' |? s- ftco-'t* : m-'re i "o i ; th;'j !i I could h::vi#K,u i to often war npo h" ndtrhr h ive <-*? 1*" v:ir?<1 the "kindnesses ,,f i;f" fi.r h 1 s own ha-.ipiness wph his own hards without resort sat: to the sexl.iti's spa.de that hwi"d .lacoli MarJey. Itut they dhin't devote the \vh"'" eventt u t" ' ir-!e. After Viwhile the' i'played at f"tf !*?. fe:- it is to he children soie'-ii'v s and nevr tmtTei than at Christ v.as. when its miuhty : ; Founder was a ehi'd himself. Stop! I ! There was fir-t a came at hjhid man's I i btllT. (>f eotirse the'e was. And 1 no I more licit've Topper was really hliml than 1 heli.we lie "11: ?1 eyes in Ms hoots. My oTijnien ;s that it was :i r 'jotte ihitiT ts-t wis n 1 itti and S'-ro<>se"s nenln'w and that the (I host ..f Chrislinas Pre?en'. knev> it. Tbr way he went afhT that plump sister it! !' laco tnelxffr was an outface on the credulity <>f hniiian nature- knoekitv down the lire irons, tnmhlinp over th chairs, l'ltinplisp up ayaiTist the piano, stnolherlnir himself aroonp the euv' tains. Wherever she wont, there went he. Tie always knew where the plump I sister -was. lie wouldn't eateh any-j body else. If yon had fallen" m? a pa In si hint. as seme nY them did. and i stood ihere he wonltl have made n feint of endeavoring to seise yon. which would have lieen an affront to your understanding. mid \v<> dd instanti ly bare sidled off in the direction of : the y.himp sister, i^ttc often cried out I that It wasn't fair, and it really was j not. Hut when at last lie caught her? J when. In spite of all her silken rnsj tlirrgs and her raf-nl fluttering* i him. he pot her into a corner whence there was no vs<-a]>e-then his conI dnn was the moS execrable, for his i pretending not to know her. his liretending that it was necessary to touch ber headdress and, further, t<? assure himself of her identity by pressing a certain ring upon her finger and a. certain chain :d*otit Iter tie< k. was vile-, monstrous! No dmiht she told him ber opinion of it when, another blind man being hi office, they were so very confidential togelher:i>ebind the curtains. Then "they play*d a game called yes and iio. where Sn-rooge's nephew had to think of something and the rest most 'Swd out vrfcat. he only answering to their questions yes or no. as t Wo << ? *> tr*iQ hHnlf fi rv 4\t no^K- I tkmlngno which he wa8 exposed eliefced from him that be was thinking of an animaJ, a lire animal, rather a disagreeable animal, a savage animal, .an aniuml that growled and Krontwl sometimes and talked sometimes. and lived in London. And walked about ithe streets, and wasn't made a show j of, and wasn't ldfl by anybody, and .didn't live In a menagerie, and was Itnever kfltal In a market, and was not |-a horse, or: an ass. sr. a row. or a trail j i-or a tiger.-4?r a dog.-or a pig. or a cat.j ' or a bear. At every fresh questkm that was put to hiui this nephew j'bnrst into a fresh roar- of laughter and was * IneTttressiWr tickled that he was obliged w. get np?off-the sofa and stamp. At iant the phiinp sister, filling into :i similar state.-eried out: "I'h*Te found it out! 'I- know what St Is. Fred! il know what-ltis!" "What Is It?" -cried Fred. | '"It's yo?ir I'neV' Sero-o*>-tM>ge!" i Which h certainly was. Admiration | was the mifversa; sentiment, though j tone objecved thai the reply to "Is It a ; bear?" ought to have Iteen "Yes." In| asmrv li as au answer in the negative j was auffielem to have diverted their : khoughts from Mr. Scrooge. supposing they had ever had iter tendency that I way. "He bar giveg us plenty of tnerri- ( event. 1 am sure." said Fred, "and It , wonid be ,unready la our hand j JtS tn A m e r r i P. 11 Plirisittnos :ind a i ) happy New Year ! { " w eli, i'm ik to the old Iiian.lt scnoot.i:.' whatever lie is." said S< -roege's nephew. "lie wouldn't < take it fr-un me. hut may lie have It .1 nevertheless. I'tieie S rooge!" c Uliele Srfooge Ii;t?! imnereeptfblr be- I come ?-<> i*av and it* ?d heart that he fl would nave pledged the iiiKonsciou? company iii return and t.tanked ilietn Id an itiaitd ! !" <| i; the t:l??xt had > given him time itn; He- whole scene passed off in lite bteati! ?>f the last >s word spoken bv !n> nen;i-w. and he | S and 'he spirit were again upon their f i rawts I Milch thc.v saw. ami far tiny \ve?j! I tud many homes they visited, hut a! ' vays with a happy end. The spirit itood beside sickbeds, and they were beerful; on foreign lands, and they >vere close ait homo; by struggling men md they were patient in their greater } tope: by poverty, and it was rich. i ilmshotise. hospital and jail, in tnl? J jrv's every refuse, where vain man i: | lis litt'e brief atttbority had not tuad", 'ast the door and barred the spirit out lo left bis blessing and laugh; S- r;> -e ; tils precepts. I It was a long night If It v re on!;. I i night. bur Scrooge had his doubts of ' this, because the Christmas holidays appeared to be condensed into the; space of rime they passed together It was stratis.u too. that while Scrooge 1 remained unaltered in his outward form the glio<t grew older, clearly old pr Scrooge had observed this change. . but never spoke of ii until they left a chiidn tin Twelfth Night puny, v h:-n. looking r.t the spirit r.s they stood to get her hi an ooeu pltme. lie notice.', l!;;;* its !; :? was g "Are spirits" h \ < > so short?" askr.l j "My life n|mn this globe Is very brief." rcpthd Hie ghost. "It ends to ! night." Tonight!" cried Scrooge. "Tonight at midnight. nark', The tint" is drawing near." The bell st:n-K 12. S.-rooge too!..?: ibont him for the ghost :?r:*! saw it tt"l. As the last stroke . . s...; t*. vibrate ho rcmembero;| ill" prediction .if old .laeob Marley . and. t *: m:. n>? his eves, beheld a solemn phantom. <). ;.; d and hooded. coming like a inisi along the ground toward J bint. (Continued next week.) STATE CONTROL OF ROADS, j Why a Kansas County's Surveyor F#.vors n Uniform System. The slate eontrol of roads in otMcr ' to bring about uniformity. and elitni- ! nato the offices that have to do -with | road building is advocate*! by J. M. j Lindsay. county surveyor of tVyan- I dottecouuty. Kau. Mr. Lindsay Would alsdish the office ef covnt.v engineer * ami have a resident statv engineer ?;> pointed either by the state highway* engineer or a good roads commission. j As a continuation of the plan the I township road overseer wonhl be an- ! der the coetrol if the resident engineer. and the result. .Mr. Lindsay j says, woultf be * uniformly* of rends j aud luridge*. "Suppose." Mr. Liadsay -shid, "^Jiat ?!?. ..ninft oitni.niicsinncrs -fit one OUT) ty should -error a concrete bridge and on the saa.ie rciad in the next coHtty a cheap 'tiii' affair is erected. In * fewyears the cheap bridge ntay wear out. and a heavily loaded wagon or a. thrashing machine wouW be pomipelled to gt rtn?\nd It. Under stale controi this condition would not ?rfee. a* tbe plan? for hriifcrc* -would he more' or less rnPtrm. Not that all ffcrrklges 1 weak] swH-ev-oirlly 1h> <-<i?erete. *ut the I capacity and cmitRtiou-.tf every bridge ] In Che tcnie mouls lie 'tenown by every I rerddont oirineer. If Pbo sum-ey of' evesrs oirnity r?:i< wear made in corfonuity with mh4k in .odjoluhag coon-1 tlct n'he ifltucjmif iresnt: \vo?U be aj road stxaiglc hcwmw :tbe -state at to* unestmJ -cost. This svmiM lie the -ease if -purveysfor all treiKJOilly Graveled roads werefiled 4ii site The-state ihighwsy or with -a ?<m*1 roads coin miStton. Then, wo. :tbe 'rond boss" who iwawts opon bis -own -ideas <ti < road building. -wbtifber *hey a*e right or wrung. -w#uld be onminated. lie would Oe -under the -direction -of a { competent engineer. ratA bis tilt of I road w-onkl oeoefre rbe ?me attention j as auy -other naad in tbe-etate." Mr. Llndaajr J? one <tf -the three I Member* of a oomraiitee appointed by i rtbe Kansas Engineering society 10 j procure tbe passage of good roads ] laws in tbe Kansas legkftatume next j winter. He is endeavoring- to get tbe supj>ort of the society for state -control of highways. DRAGGING ROADS WITH AUTOS H*w -Six Machines Hslpad to MaJ? TTmo MU*s Smooth and Hand. Tbe Muskogee (Okla.) Motor ctnb as improvjci; tbe roads In Mnsfcogne tounty. This club is composed of fifty motorists. Tlie members have bought fifty split log drags and are using them on the roads leading out of Muskogee. "Hbe first trial was made a short time ago aud proved a great success. A stretch .of road two miles long leading out -of oue of tbe cit3-'s prin- | cipal thoroughfares was selected. When the ground was in the right con- I iition the six split log drags were ht- ' Cached to the rear axles of six ma- j 'tunes. and the two miles of road were , tMrnughly dragged. The result is that j Ibey are as smooth and hard as could I ae-dtssiml. It took rbe motorists about j i quarter of a day to eo the work. i... 'Pl,a | -* vi i\ is iv i ?r u? a uv iffy members of the cleb :ire to be dittoed i>iio sounds of six each. Each quad Is b> be -.riven a div&fcon of road o Improve >!( : ( dra^s %vf!3 be made. The nnifKal in a ding: of this kind k?ms sf.::o ;f i.?.ii-lir at a Inii.Tixt yard ind b-ir/wrtif -lore. bnt ati\ farmer -an n;:i!;o > n- *v?It!i ordinary for irneii'-ai'v i?- ' bv u^irier split V)?s. > IS file Ii.-I'inoif If.,. d::rr suu'SCStS. ' _ _ I 'The Carolina Furniture Co has| ome fine Haviland China Dinner i lets that would please little wifey or Christmas. J'2-15-2t i i BUILDING OF ! GOOD ROADS, |? Suggestions For the Treatment!) ot Rural highways, i ? ij NO PATCHWORK WHATSOEVER:! i ? I I! I| The Work to Be Done In Sections?A j i Mile Snculd Be Carefully Finished In Its Entirety?How the Roadway Ought to Be Cared For. IIow pood roads should i>e made and ' how they should he cared for is tersely ' described in the Iowa Homestead L.i nu enthusiast, who says: in the tirsi place, there should he tio patchwork ro idiaakinp having for its Iobject only to make one particular spot passable. Road work should be done in seelions. For instance, a mile of ; road should be taken and completed i'? | its entirety. Kvery itc h of it should be rra 1 a ?. d and safe road. I rei:titve ttio ion that not more than a? !? i;i every ten is safe i ; 'i e * ; < dangerous trap to vti.t to careless drivers or t'. * '. . > > . lose observation of the to .a. . i.oy should be made so tii.;: i might safely drive over them. Kepiauinp. I would ostaM.sh a reasonable en.?ie so ihat no steep hills { regain wn a the work is finished. I wo .H : ?ake owr the entire width of the '<>.ui 'nun fence to f-mce. 1 would make the actual roadway of usual j width, villi only rise enough iu the center to shed rain From the putter at the side of this roadway 1 would make a smooth and even prade to the fence line. Then 1 wooJd compel t!te property owners along the road to keep the roadside well set in crass and to I tnow and care for it just as they do I their meadows. No deep, unsiphtly 1 and dangerous gullies would be perI niittod. ami the man who scraped a lot o>f grasK. weeds, cIchJs .uid trash into the center of the mid should ut ooce "be eoadeuincd to i.x-nal servitude lor tffe. Cspial puuis*.nient would h* too good for -fie one who scoured l ii< nkwv in the pond. The road worker who pk>wed vg> j stretch of twtad Iai? in the full am: | loft it to mellow up \rn1fl ffjrinp ? Should be "banished to roadless. Sibe Iria. A piow lias do. place in. auy road flint, has roee been properly made s The care df a rond innde -aocording tc my plan would be only that of going ever it oceasionalJsr vith. n drag. The <K<askm for the use of the drag, however. -shoitkl lie Trout the viewpoint of the need'of the read and not the con-venieooe -cf the operator of the drag. No mam would Tae permitted to drive a -drag over a road unless lie were a licensed graduate of a roadmaking school. A road drag is a dangerous thing Cfor the raid) in the hands of a man whe does mot have sense enough to use ft I woUM build a complete and effective draowige -f^rstem to lake care of : the wa*er that finds its way to the road??? a guess wort one. but one planned Uy ? -drainage engineer who knew Wf-m . 1 uoald nwtoe culverts and bridges "the width of the rend. .W- small culverts ?*wrokl be built. Thoy luvaria lily fill *i> n?d remain a damage. A good, iwg concrete bridge is '.he safest ^and cheapest that can lie made. Flat floods Versus Convex. Flat roads. *s opposed to those of I .convex sectkm. are feeorumended in rfbe London iwird of trade traffic* reI port as tending to minimize the splaabI irng of pavement* with mud. <| GOOD ROAD ITEMS. ] | *' La?t year Xew Jersey spent 4' ] \ more than ll.OOO.OCO in repair- I s * i?g roads. ? * > Escambia county, Fla.. Is in- i! veatigating the tost and advan- 11 < > (ages of shell roads. <? \' * Kjtiin Is planning a circuit 4 k highway 1,074 miles long, to cost J i \ $1.440.000. I * | There is a movement on foot ? In Iowa to spend tte hunters' I Jj | license fund for road improve- t i ? inent. + \ \ Of the 2.100.000 miles of public t road in the United States 44.000 + y, miles rank as first class. j + Williamson county, Tex., will + | spend $200,000 in the construe- J UOn Ol SlAiy juuntra ui jiuici > >> road. X The Boys'Booster club of Iron T i ?? county. Mo., has the honor of ?( being the first company of good 1) * roads soldiers in Missouri. X 1 Citizens of Franklinton, La.. J ' T have asked for a per capita tax | in their parish of $1 on each J * male between sixteen and fifty * X for good roads. 4, I The Automobile Club of In- * J f diana is offering $300 in cash * * prizes to the road supervisors T ? who make the best showing in X ? keeping up their roads. 7 f White sulphite waste, a by- + . u product in the manufacture of J J r wood pulp, is being used in parts + { L of New York to make a road + r surface. Tlie experiment is be- T t ing watched with interest. 4. I. JL ,f. .t AAA A .t, ,V t, ,t. .f. , r tTTVTt rTrTV T T TT*r*#VTTi?4 'T'/VT % mmmmmmmm mmmrnmrnm^ I NOT ICE 1 ? We want to anno . .. ? ? , ^ ~ . emce to the public that =2 E on December 1, we wi y.0pen a 3 | Fresh Mea t Department 1 g in connection with ^ prfesent business wg ? ? will have on hand ^ a? tjmes the 3 ? and tenderest Bee t Pork and {o bg 3 obtained. ^3 | Your patron.' I?ek solicited, 1 -< I Miihov As (Q. Jennings, 1 | Phone No. 93. Kingstree, S. C | nuuuuiiuuiiuuu' iitiiiiiiuiiiuuuuiitiuiiiiiiiiuuuiuuiii^ xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx p Life Health Accident^S INSURANCE j x f Jgigstree Insurance, Real Estate and Loan 8 j p Company 8 8 Fire Bonds Plate Glass X * : I COFFINS and CASKETS j ? We carry a full line of y Coffins and Caskets ________????? y Hearse Famished When Wanted m v c n v IM. f A<? T 'W -iA VENTERS, S. C. I See Us For JOB 'PRINTI I LOOK AT THESE PRICES Letter Heads put up in Tablets with Blotters $2.50 to $3.00 per thousand; $1.50 to $1.75 for five hundred Note Heads $2.25 to $2.50 per thousand; $1.25 to $2.50 for ;five hundred. Envelopes, per thousand $2.50 to $3.00; five hundred $1.25 to $1.75. % Wedding Invitations neatly printed $2.50 for fifty, including inside and outside envelopes. Cheaper in quantity. i I Our plant turns out anything from a visiting card to a catalogue. We carry $1,000.00 stock of stationery to select from. Quality of work guaranteed. ALWAYS ON HAND Titles, Mortgages, Blank Crop Mortgages, Note* and Mortgages, Bills of Sale and other Agricultural Forms. ^ i T "If it happens in Williamsburg County you will find it :i The County Record." Subscription: $1.25 a year;50c ;h:ee montns; toc six montns. Si .00 A YEAR IF PAID ALL IN ADVANCE ] I -I 7 Jk i