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eO?HTY CORRESPONDENCE. JSEWSY LETTERS FROM OUR SPE? CIAL CORRESPONDENTS. Heats of Interest From all Parts of Sumter and Adjoining Counties. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. Mail your letters so that they will preach this office not later than Tues? day morning. When the letters are received Wednesday it is almost an impossibility to have them appear in the paper issued that day. ELLIOTT. Elliott, January 23.-It seems that ' ?oiton is at a standstill; guess the par ]JSes who are holding will be getting Impatient, but if they will all continue to hold something better will be of? fered. There has been but little work on the farms-in fact there has been so much rain that nothing much could he done-farmers have taken advan ? tage of this and have been doing a lot of building tenant houses. There has been some nice dwellings put up, too. The oat crop is looking nicely but there are a good many fields yet io be planted. Mrs. Louise Muldrow, of Clarks Sill, S. C., has offered her place just two miles above Elliott, for sale. We "hear that the price is $50 per acre. This is a nice plantation of 135 acres, 35 under cultivation. ^Capt, J. EL Cooper has been criti? cally ill for the past week. Miss Lottie ^ Deschamps, who has ?iso been very ill, is improving fast "We are glad to see that the l?gisla? ture has been wise enough not to take jury steps to abolish the dispensary, as I believe it. the only way that whis? key can be managed. i?e have a new enterprise near El? liott. Mr. Flynn Shaw has put in a mill to manufacture shingles, some? thing much needed. PRIVATEER. Privateer, January 23.-The warm tains, and sunshine. axe making oat? grow very fast. There is a larger a?reage than usually plantedf in this "section. Miss Elma Geddings spent Saturday and Sunday at her horne in Paxville. Messrs. James Cuttino and Claude Earvin, of Sumter, visited in Priva? tteer Sunday. Mr. Milton Lacky and Miss Rosa Kolb, of Paxville, were among the vis? itors at church Sunday afternoon. Mr. L E. Mims and family have amoved from here to Elloree. Mr. Willie Tisdale, of Paxville, vis? ited Privateer Sunday afternoon. Mrs. L. B. Jenkins, Miss Marie and "Mr. Charlie Jenkins spent Sunday in Sumter. Mrs. G. A. Nettles spent several days last week in Sumter. We are glad to "have no sickness or deaths to report. Mr. Johnnie Geddings and Miss Irene Jackson are to be married on 1 Thursday evening at the home of the j bride. Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Harvin will en? tertain *a few of their friends "at borne" on Friday evening. HAGOOD. Hagood, S. C., January 29.-Ii rains and rains and well may we thank our stars that it does. They are fearing a time of it up yonder with the sleet and snow. In the grip of a blizzard all .the late small grain v? _-uld fare badly. We have had weather plenty warm enough to plant corn and bad it continued long with dry weath? er some of us would have been simple enough to have planted." I have inown -oats to be killed in February so small grain is not safe yet. There are three saw mills near here but all of them do not supply the de Toand for lumber. On January 24th Julian E. Sanders -went to Sri rtanburg to fetch his bride and T. L. Eberhart, of Chester, came and got Miss Hallie Sanders, a most charming woman. I understand that her bridal presents were quite numer? ous and expensive. Quite a company from your city and elsewhere were present to witness the marraige. If they continue to "jump the broom" as they have in the last two years our "supply of marriageable young people will soon be exhausted. It is a difficult matter to get our young people in the notion of marying, but when they are they soon find a partner. The reason is that they are all A No. 1. We have a few fine "bachs" left, ah good looking save one, and he's not to blame for that, but he will make an excellent husband for some good woman.. Those in need of one apply to the undersigned, but one at a time, - / if you please, enclosing self-addressed envelope for reply, or cali in person. Talking about courting and such there is vanity here as in all things. One couple, an old bach and maid, met in the auld lang syne before cot? ton gins came into use. at a picking, where the lint and seed were sepa? rated by the hand process. That nigh; they thumped seed at each other, do? ing little less. Next morning our "bachelor, astride his horse; rode up to the door of his lady love, who gives aim a smiling salutation, and without dismounting says: "There's love about here." She replied: "Perhaps it's you, Mr. R." "You are mighty right," said he. That was all there was of it. Yes, short, and I expect as sweet as most courtships. Now, don't turn up your nose at this, because it might havt been your old grandfather, whom for the want of a name, I designate Mr. R. Xo doubt a substantial citizen in his day who attended to his business and made an independent living. In his time, your' grandfather's, there were no buggies, but a vehicle called a gig and great lumbering carriage . of the wealthy, drawn by four. Then it was quite common m some places for one's lady love to ride behind him horseback. Ah, boys! I know you think those were good old times, but a survival of the fittest brings us were we are. But I was going to relate the em? barrassing experiencl of a lady in Lancaster in the days of yore who, all dressed up riding behind her beau, was suddenly dropped in the middle of a big mud hole by the shying of the" horse. That woman belonged io one of the first families of old Lan? caster. Change of times brings change of customs, change pf courtships, etc. How do you like this? A bashful young man of excellent family, fine character, a success every way, had tried in vain to muster cour? age to "pop the question." She knew it all, of course, and was as patient as could be, because she loved him. ? .The situation was delicate and how? ever much she may have wished she saw no way of helping him. Each was desperately in love with the other, but there could be no marriage with? out an engagement, without a decla? ration. So to speak, they were both in an agony. One day in a buggy at a picinc after considerable effort he asked her to tell him whom of all her male friends, she thought most of. She consented on condition that he would unbosom first and when each replied "youT they gave expression to their relief, their satisfaction and happiness irf^a. burst of laughter. They were soon wedded, one of the happiest cou? ples in all that land. More recently a couple, they were teachers in attendance upon an insti? tute, were smitten of Cupid out scarcely betrayed each to the othe* what they felt. They were reading the "Merchant of Venice" and were discussing the merits of Portia, whom both agreed was a moled wife. Said he, "Ah, she is my ideal; can you make such a one?" She made no re? ply just then, but vhen, after recita? tion, she was retiri:^ Irom the room she bent over his seat and whispered in his ear and unmistakable "yes." In some way, somehow the match is made, the knot is tied, and the sa? cred institution ordained of God con? tinues. But what's the news? TV. E. Lenoir, ff Ringville, is over on business for a few days. Mr. Albert Young is quite sick at his brother's near Rembert. Mrs. TV. J. Spencer continues to im? prove. ? Mr. Crawford E. Sanders and wife spent the 24th in your city. Mr. J. H. Lenoir, of Camden, is vis? iting in our community. "Hagood." EDWARDS. Edwards, January 27.-TVe have some very cold and rainy weather at this time; some of our farm?rs are plowing while others are hauling their fertilizers. Miss Etta Huggins, of Camden, is spending a few days with her uncle, Mr. L. A. White. Mrs. D. M. Rawls, after pending a few weeks in this community, has re? turned to her home in Columbia. Mrs. J. P. McLeod is spending a few days in Camden this week. Mr. W. T. McLeod was in Camden last Tuesday. Mr. J. C. McLeod was in Camden last Wednesday. Mr. A. K. Lee has gone to Bishop dlle today. Mrs. Ada James, of Bishopville, is spending a few days with her broth? er. Mr. J. TV. Weldon. Mr. C. L. Britton spent a few days at his father's. Dr. C. S. Britton. Mr. Newton Boy kin, who has been employed by the South Carolina State dispensary, is spending a while at home. . The oat crop looks very promising. Rev. Geo. M. Howerton preached h.*.: regular sermon at New Hope Presby? terian church last Sunday. Rev. Mr. Phillips will fill his reg? ular appointment at Mizpah Baptis* church on Sunday at 4 p. m. Rev. D. H. Booth filled his regular appointment at St. John's M. E church last Sunday afternoon. Wc have no sickness to report. MAX. Max, January 29.-Mr. J. D. Wil? der, of Sumter, passed through here j last week. Mr. J. D. Frierson and Mr. J. Thos. j Kirby are with Mr. Charles Frierson in Cuba, who is entertaining them royally. They are enjoying eating : different kinds of fruit and sight-see- ! lng. Mrs. Roberts bid adieu to relatives j at Max Sunday and will return to her home in Columbia today. We hope to have her with us again before many I months. , j Mr. W. B. Goodman has a very sick ! child. j Quite a number of people were out driving Sunday afternoon enjoying the sunshine, thirty of whom called at the . home of J. A. M. Carraway. i _ i DARK CORNER. j Dark Corner, January 27.-Well, it ! is not raining this morning, so I will i i spend a few moments in writing. We ; have surely had rain here this week, iso much that we cannot plow now for several days, as the land is boggy ? in some places. We had two things : to happen here this week. On last ?Sunday Dr. J. A. Mood, of your city, ; and some ladies were on their way from Sumter to ' Summerton in his automobile. Just as he got to the Sycamores (Thos. K. Osteen's) his machine refused to work and he had to send back to your city for Zvlessrs. Jenkins and Manning. Eut before they got here the doctor had got his machine off and made his trip on to Summerton, returning that night to your city, taking Miss Emma Osteen. who is going to school in Sumter, with him. And on last Wednesday night as special train No. 748 was going from Florence to Orangeburg and intend? ing to side track at Pinewood, the engineer, thinking he had reached Pinewood, switched oif at Broadway's siding, about two miles this side of Pinewood, and it being but a short siding, the first thing he knew his en? gine was stuck fast in the mud in the ditch. Fortunately nobody was hurt. The wrecking train came down from Florence Thursday and pulled it back on the track and carried it back to the r?und house at Florence. Mrs. Kolb is still improving. Mr. T. Douglass Weeks has been quite sick this week, but is some bet? ter at this writing. I hear of no other sickness, except colds and measles. I hear they have been thick in Pinewood lately. Every? thing else is calm and serene here? abouts. STATEBURG. ( Stateburg, Jan. 29.-Miss Theo In? gram is visiting relatives in Sumter this week. Mr. Earley Mellette spent Sunday at home. < ? Mrs. James Pinckney and Miss A. N. Moore are visiting relatives in Sumter. Dr. C. M. Rees, of Charleston, spent Sunday with his mother, Mrs. F. C. Rees, at Midway. Miss Tallulah Ramsey, of Priva? teer, spent Satorday and Sunday with her sister, Mrs. Frean Mellette. Mr. Guy Nelson spent Sunday and Monday of last week with his sister, Mrs. F. H. McLeod, in Florence. Mr. Willie Lynam, of Privateer, spent Sunday with his sister, Mrs. S. A. Ramsey. . Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Neel spent Sun? day with relatives at Providence. Rev. W. H. Earnwell visited friends at Hagood today. The farmers in this part of the county are preparing for another year's crop, and things once more be? gin to look busy as one drives along. The oat crop, for the most part, bids .luite promising. TINDAL. Tindal, January 30.-The oats in this section which were planted las!, fall are looking well; very few spring oats have been planted yet on ac? count of the bad weather. Mr. Harry Hodge spent last Sat? urday in Sumter. Miss Viola McLeod, of Paxville, is spending a few days at Mr. W. H. Bradham's. Miss Olga Hodge spent last Wed? nesday in Sumter. Mr. S. F. Osteen, of Sumter, was in the neighborhood on last Sunday Mr. T. E. Hodge spent Saturday ir. Sumter. A horse belonging to Rev. L. D. Chavis,%a colored preacher in this community, w*as stolen from his lot on last Saturday night. The horse has been recovered, but the thief made his escape. Mr. C. M. Witherspoon spent Mon? day in Sumter. Mr. J. R. Wells, of Brogdon, spent Monday with Mr. S. J. Edens. Mr. W. L. Osteen was in Sumter on last Saturday. / The health of the community is very good. We have no sick to report this week. PRIVATEER. Privateer, -January 31.-Mr. Taylor and family, of Bishopville, have moved to Mr. Braton Ingram's place Judge John F. Ingram's court was in session yesterday and in conse? quence C;;pt. Seals has another "coon" in the county cage. Capt. (lardner, of Levi, was in Pri? vateer Munday on business. Mrs. L. B. Jenkins. Messrs. Douglass and Charlie Jenkins spent Sunday in Su ir. ter. Messrs. R. H. Ramsey and Marion Mellette. of Wedgefield, spent Sunday at Mr. W. c. Wells*. Mr. Graham Pritchard. <>f Sahers, spent Saturday and Sunday at Mr. II. W. Pritchard's. Miss Tallulah Ramsey and Mr. W. I). Lynam spent Saturday and Sunday with relatives at Stateburg. Cadet Charlie Jenkins returned to the Orangeburg College Monday. Miss Edna Ramsey is spending this week with relatives at Wedgefield. Mr. Johnnie Geddings, of Wedge ; field and Miss Irene Jackson were j married Thursday evening at 7 o'clock ?at the home of the bride's mother j near Soeven. Rev. T. P. Lide offic j iated. Mr. Dave Beasley, of Darlington, ?spent several days the past week at j Mr. X. E. Ingram's. Miss Annie Wells, teacher of the j Homebranch school, being quite sick i her sister. Miss Inez:. is admirably I performing- the duties of teacher for ! her this week. SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS. i Items oi Interest Co:aa i:s<ni and Par? agraphed for Quirk Heading. Andrew Thompson, color J, was tried, convicted and sentenced to be hanged at Grce:: . Hie on Wednesday for criminal assault on Mrs. Frank James on D?cerner ICth, last. An order was taken in the United State Circuit Court making the Southern Railway on its own petition a party defendant in the case of the Mercantile Trust and Deposit Co., of Baltimore, against the Union & Glenn Springs Railroad Co. As a result of heavy rains the power plant at Portman was shut down at Anderson, and the street c;::s and the cotton mills dependent upon ckctrie power ceased running. Jesse Hunter, colored, resisted ar? rest at Lykesland, Richland county, Wednesday and shot four constables with a shot gun. Xone of them were fatally wounded. Rev. G. H. Waddell has sold his in? terest in the Southern Christian Advr cate to Rev. S. A. Xettles. The railroad commissioners have decided to notify the Southern Rail? way that the depot accommodations at Yorkville must be improved at once. The citizens of Greer have started a. movement to erect a monument to the late Policeman Foster, who, while in the discharge of his duty, was shot down in the street. ' Avery Patton, chairman ->f the in? vestigating committee of Greenville j county, has' sworn out warrants j against eleven citizens of Greenville, charging them with defrauding the county. Among those indicted is Rev. D. B. Talley, steward of this county ! parish. I Snow fell in Laurens continuously from Thursday night until Saturday night. The Johnston Monitor has been sold by Editor Terrell, who will retire on account of iii health. OFFICE OF COUXTY AUDITOR, SUMTER CO., Sumter, S. C., Dec. 10, 1305. Xotice is hereby given that I will at? tend, in person or by deputy, at the following places on the days indicated, respectively, for the purpose of re? ceiving returns of real estate, personal property and poll taxes for the fiscal year, commencing Januaiy 1, 1906.: Tindal's Store, Monday, Jan. 8th. Privateer, (Jenkins' Store), Tues? day, Jan. 9 th. Manchester, (Levi's), Wednesday, Jan. 10th. Wedgefield, Thursday, Jan. 11th. Stateburg, Friday, Jan. 12th. Hagood, Monday, Jan. 15th. Remberts, Tuesday, Jan. 16th. Dalzell, Wednesday, Jan. 17th. Gordon's Mill, Thursday, Jan. 18th. Oswego, Friday, Jan. 19th. Mayesville, Tuesday, Jan. 23d. Shiloh, Wednesday, Jan. 24th. Xorwood X Roads, Thursday, Jan. 25 th. The law requires that all persons owning property or in any wise hav? ing charge of such property, either as agent, husband, guardian, trustee, ex? ecutor, administrator, etc., return the same under oath to the auditor, who requests all persons to be prompt in making their returns and save the 50 per cent penalty, which will be added to the property valuation of all persons who fail to make returns within the time prescribed by law. Taxpayers return what they own on the first day of January,. 1906. Assessors and taxpayers will enter the first given name of the taxpayer in full, also make a separate return for each township where the property is located and also in each and every case the Number of the school district must be given. Every male citizen between the ag? of twenty-one and sixty years on the first day of January, 1906. except those incapable of earning a support from being maimed or from other causes, are deemed taxable polls, and except Confederate soldiers 50 years of age, on January 1st, 1906. Under instructions from the Comp? troller General, a separate return must be made of each tract or parcel of land. All returns must be made on or be? fore the 20th day of February, next. I cannot take returns after that date and all returns made after the 20th day of February, are subject to a pen? alty of 50 per cent. J. DIGGS WILDER, Auditor Sumter County. December 20, 1905. A WITHERSPOON' HEIRLOOM. An Olden Time Thread Case and the Talc it Tells of tho Days of. Long Ago. Bishopville, January 20.-Through the kindness of an -esteemed friend, your correspondent had the pleasure J of inspecting a simple little article ot ?small intrinsic value in itself, but j with the memories and associations which it brings it is beyond all price. It is a lady's thread case," made of calico, equipped with pockets and bound with the material of which it is made-an ordinary piece of wo? man's work. Nothing in its-elf, but this little case has passed through the hands of ladies of seven generations, whose forms have long ago crumbled into dust, and whose spirits have lung tenanted the great unknown land above. This thread case according to mem? oranda found in its pockets, was the property of Mrs. Mary Witherspoon, who died in 1S05, at the age or. 70. As she no doubt made it 'in the earlier part of her long life, it is safe to put the date 'of its fabrication at about 1755 to 1760, before the Declaration of Independence, was drafted or even thought of. The first of these memoranda estab? lishes the antiquity of this thread case, it is writeen upon paper yellow with age, and is in the round, cramped hand of the time, but perfectly legi? ble. It reads: ''This thread case was my dear grandmother's, Mrs. Mary Wither? spoon. She died February, 1805, aged 70 years. She was a sincere Christian. My grandfather died one month after? wards, aged 73 years-he was also a very pious man-they were first cous? ins, both of the same name, Wither? spoon. They left three sons and two daughters. My mother was the eld? est daughter. She married my father, Thomas M. Faddin, the 6th of Janu? ary 17S2. She was born March J?, 1762, and died November 20, 1820/' (Signed.) E. M. Witherspoon." The case then passed into the hands of ladies of the Muldrow-Dennis fami? lies, and now is the property of Mrs. Frank Herndon, who justly holds it as one of her choicest treasures. What memories are brought up by this little piece of woman's work* The very names of the owners are suggest? ive; Mr. Faddin Witherspoon, Mul drow (or McMuldrough, as it stands in the old colonial records,) Dennis, all of old Scotch blood, descendants of those nobie men who worshipped their God in the vales and glens of old Scot? land while momentarily expecting the attacks of the fierce dragoons of \ ~"m i i m m i i?? H mi ir.nn-n_ I m 'i?iin - i i "bloody Claverhouse," and whose sons : wrote their names on the pages of his ? tory during the conflict for American ; independence. It was made before the United States were born, when the population of this country was less than three millions, against the seventy-six mil? lions of today-before the cotton gin telegraph or sewing machine had been invented, or the steamboat or locomotive thought of. The country has been engaged in ?level, wars since the little case was 1 put together-the War Eetween the j States, five struggles with other na ! '.ions and five Indian wars. One could sir. for hours fancying the : bright smiles, the stifled sobs, the i merry laughter, the dropping tears ; which this silent little relic of past i days could recount, had it the gift of i I Sprech, but we lay it aside with rever j ince and rid ourselves of the dreams ?lt calls up.-H. Dickson Corbett in ' Sunday News and Courier. COFFIN MANUFACTURERS MEET. Mr. E. L. Witherspoon Eelected Tem? porary President. Raleigh, N. C., January 26.-The coffin manufacturers .of the South are in session at High Point, N. C., where they h^eld their initial meeting this evening. The purpose is to organize a permanent national organization. ?. L. Witherspoon, of Sumter, S. C., was chosen temporary president, and A. M. Ramlin, of High Point, secretary. Plans for a thorough organization are being perfected by a committee and will be reported tomorrow. Eugene' Debbs, Socialist leader, is delivering addresses in this State this week and next. COL. PATRICK IS IMPROVLNG. His Friends Now Hope That He Will Recover. Col. J. M. Patrick, who has been critically ill at his home in this city for the past two weeks, has shown a.. marked improvement within the^ past few days, and his family and friends now hope that he will recover. He has been removed to a sanitarium in Greenville for treatment. His brother, Rev. R. G. Patrick, and his sister, Mrs. Pauline Gurganus, who have been on a visit to him. returned to their home at Marion, Ala., yes? terday.-Anderson Mail. The county board of dispensary con? trol of Greenville county will sell at auction the fixtures used in the dis? pensaries. Promises To Be Our Banner Year. The first month of the New Year has exceed? ed all previous records for that period. Every department of our house has shown a marked improvement. There were many days when we found difficulty in handling intelligently the business offered us. This is to be expected in an establishment like ours, that counts among its patrons the inhabitants of four counties. While we do a very large advancing business at this season of the year, and are always glad to accommodate our friends in this respect, the increase in our cash trade is most gratifying. Some of our competitors will attemot to advance the idea that a house of this charac? ter is not a desirable place in which to spend your money, but their arguments are without foundation. As a matter of iact the volume of credit business we do, enables us to buy goods in such quantities as to be able to undersell these competi? tors. The c : t of doing business with us is not figured in the amount we sell for cash or on - k credit but the volume, and our percentage of cost in this respect we believe to be as low as it is possible to get it. We try to confine ourselves to the better class of credit trade, and our record of collections will show that we have not made many mis. takes, so that no man need fear in dealing with us, that he is taxed with profits to pay his neighbor's debts. We realize that there will be more money in circulation this Spring than usual, and we wish to impress on our friends that we want our share of it, and every dollar they spend with us for cash enables us to sell them that much cheaper on a credit.