The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, April 11, 1906, Image 2
41
I 6^? Gentleman m
1 From Indiana If
?| JBtjr "BOOTH TATOUJ^CTOM |;|
?.* Copyright. 1039, by Doabtetlay McCIur* Co. ?Ijj
*J* Copyright. 1902. by McClure. Thillipj Co. ||J*
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CHAPTER IV.
***'\ 70J3 are bom fortunate and i
\/ fortunate, Mr. Brewste
1 said Mr. Grant, after 1
*** yoong maa had dropped ii
a chair in the office of Grant ? Kip:
the next day. Montgomery wore
slightly bored expression, and it v?
?vident that be took little interest
the will of James T. Sedgwick. Frc
far back in the recesses of memory
cow recalled this long lost brother
lils mother. As a very small child
bad seen his Uncle James upon the f<
occasions which brought him to t
borne of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brewsb
Bot the young man had dined with t
Drews the night before and Barba
bad had more charm for him than us
&L It was of ncr that he was thinkh
when he walked into the office.
Swearengen Jones' lawyers.
The truth is, Mr. Grant, Td coi
pletely forgotten the existence of ?
cuele," he responded.
"It is not surprising," said Mr. Gra:
genially. "Every one who knew him :
New, York nineteen years ago believe
him to be dead. He Jeftthe city whe
you were a very small lad, going* 1
Australia, I think. He was off to see
his fortune, and he needed it prett
badly when he started out This le
' ter from Mr. Tores comes like a me:
sage from the dead. Were it not ths
we have known Mr. Jones for a lpn
time, handling affairs of considerate
importance for him, I should feel ii
clined to doubt the whole story. 1
seems that your uncle turned up i
Montana about fifteen-years ago an
there formed a stanch friendship wit1
old Swearengen Jones, one of the rici
est men in the far west Sedgwick*
will was signed on the day of his deatt
Sept 24, and lt was quite natural tba
Mr. Jones should be named as his exec
titer. That is how we became interest
ed in the matter,? Mr. Brewster."
<*! see," said Montgomery, somewha
puzzled. "But why do you .say that :
am both fortunate and unfortunate T
"The situation is so remarkable tha
you'll consider that a mild way of put
ting it when you've heard everything
I think you were told in our note o\
yesterday that you are the sole heir
WelL it may surprise you to learn thai
James Sedgwick died possessed of ai
estate valued at almost $7,000,C00."
'Montgomery ^rewsteF satTTIke on?
petrified, staring blankly -at the old
lawyer, who could say startling things
in a level* voice.
?"He owned gold mines and ranches
in the northwest, ?n(? there is no ques?
tion as to their 7alue. Mr. Jones in
?iis letter to "us briefly outlines the his?
tory of James Sedgwick from the time
lie landed in Montana. He reached
?there in 18S5 from Australia, and he
was worth $30,000 or $40,000 at the
time. Within five years he was the
owner of a huge ranch, and scarcely
bad another five years passed before
ile was part owner of three rich gold
.mines. Possessions accumulated rap
Idly; everything he touched turned to
jgold. He was shrewd, careful and
thrifty, and his money was handled
^with all the skill oj. a Wall street finan?
cer. At the time of his death in Port?
land he cid not owe a dollar in the
"world. His property is absolutely un
incumhered-safe and sound as a gov?
ernment bond. It's rather overwhelm?
ing, isn't it?" the lawyer concluded,
taking note of brewster's expression.
"Ajri he-he left everything to me?"
"With* a proviso."
"Ahr
"I have a copy of the will. Mr. Rip?
ley and I are the only'persons in New
York who at present know its contents.
You, I am sure, after hearing it, will
not divulge them without the most
careful deliberation."
Mr. Grant drew the document from
a pigeonhole in his desk, adjusted his
glasses and prepared to read. Then,
as though struck by a sudden thought,
'? v;' be laid the paper down and turned
once more to Brewster.
"It seems that Sedgwick never mar?
ried. Your mother .was his sister and
his only known relative of close con?
nection. He was a man of most pe?
culiar temperament, but in full posses?
sion of his mental faculties. 1'ou may
find this will to be a strange document,
but I think Mr. Jones, the executor,
explains any mystery that may be sug?
gested by its terms. While Sedgwick's
whereabouts were unknown to his old
friends in New York, it seems that he
was fully posXed on all that was going
on here. lie knew that you were the
only child of your mother and therefore
his only nephew. He sets forth the
dates of your mother's marriage, of
your birth, of the death of Robert
Brewster and of Mrs. Brewster. He
also was aware of the fact that old
Edwin Peter Brewster intended to be?
queath a large fortune to you, and
thereby hangs a tale. Sedgwick was
proud. When he lived in New York he
was regarded as the kind of man who
never forgave the person who touched
roughly upon his pride. You know, of
course, that your father married Miss
Sedgwick in the face of the most bit?
ter opposition on the part of Edwin
Brewster. The latter refused to recog?
nize ber as his daughter, practically
disowned his son and heaped the harsh?
est kind of calumny upon the Sedg?
wick*. It wa? commonly believed about
txywTt th?t Jim Sedgwick left the coun?
try three or four years after tais mar- j
riage. for, tho. Jg> ' .
Edwin Brewster could not live in t
same place. So deep was his hatr
?f the old man that he fled to'esca
killing him. It was known that npi
one occasion Tie visited the office of 1
sister's enemy for the purpose of sla
lng him, but something prevented. I
carried that hatred to the grave, ?
you will see."
Montgomery Brewster was trying
gather himself together from with
the fog which made himself and tl
world unreal.
"I believe Fd like to-have you res
this extraor-the will, Mr. Grant" 1
said, with an effort to hold his nervi
in leash.
Mr. Grant cleared his throat and h
gan in his still voice. Once he looke
up to find his listener eager, and agai
to find him grown indifferent. He wo:
dered dimly if this were a pose.
. In brief, the last will of James T.
Sedgwick bequeathed everything, rei
and personal, of which he died po:
sessed to his only nephew, Montgomer
Brewster of New York, son of Hobe]
and Louise Sedgwick Brewster. Sui
plementing this all important claus
there was a set of conditions goven
ing the final disposition of the est?t?
The most extraordinary of these cor
ditions was the one which require
the heir to be absolutely penniless upo
the twenty-sixth anniversary of hi
birth, Sept. 23.'
"The Instrument went into detail i
respect to this supreme condition. 1
set forth that Montgomery Brewste
was to have no other worldly posses
sion than the clothes which coverer
him on the September day named. H
was to begin that day without a penn;
to his name, without a single articl
of jewelry, furniture or finance tha
he could call his own or could there
after reclaim. At 9 o'clock, I?ew Tori
time, on the morning of Sept 23 th
executor, under the provisions of th?
will, was to make over and transfe
to Montgomery Brewster all of th?
moneys, lands, bonds and interest
mentioned in the inventory which ac
companied the will. In the event tha
Montgomery Brewster had not in ever]
particular complied with the require
ments of the will to the full satisfac
tion of the said executor, Swearengei
Jones, the estate Avas to be distributee
among certain institutions of charitj
designated in the instrument Under
lying this imperative injunction ol
James Sedgwick was plainly discern?
ble the motive that prompted it IE
almost so many words he declared thal
his heir should not receive the fortune
if he possessed a single penny that had
come to him in any shape or form
from the man he hated, Edwin Peter
Brewster. While Sedgwick could not
have known at the time of his death
that the banker had bequeathed Sl,
000,000 to his grandson, it was more
than apparent that he expected the
young mas to be enriched liberally by
his enemy. It was to preclude any
possible chance of the mingling of his
fortune with the smallest portion of
Edwin P. Brewster's that James Sedg?
wick on his deathbed put his hand to
this astonishing instrument.
There was also a clause in which he
undertook to dictate the conduct of
Montgomery Brewster during the year
leading np to his twenty-sixth anniver?
sary. He required that the young man
should give satisfactory evidence to
the executor that he was capable of
managing his affairs shrewdly and
wisely; that he possessed the ability
to add to the fortune through his own
enterprise: that he should come to his
twenty-sixth anniversary with a fair
name and a record free from anything
worse than mild forms of dissipation;
that his habits be temperate; that he
possess nothing at the end of the year
which might be regarded as a "visible
or invisible asset;" that he make no
endowments; that he give sparingly to
charity: that he neither lend nor give
away money, for fear that it might be
restored to him later; that he live on
the principle which inspires a man to
"got his money's worth," be the ex?
penditure great or small. As these
conditions were prescribed for but a
single year in the life of the heir, it
was' evident~that Mr. Sedgwick did not
intend to impose any restrictions after
the property had gone into his hands.
.How do you like it?" asked Mr.
Grant as he passed the wili to Brew?
ster. *
Thc latter took the paper and glanced
over it with the air of one who had
heard but had not fully grasped its
meaning.
"It must be a joke, Mr. Grant," he
said, still groping with difficulty
through the fog.
"No, Mr. Brewster, it is absolutely
genuine. Here is a telegram from tho
probate court in Sedgwick's home coun?
ty, received in response to a query
from us. It says that the will is to
be filed for probate and that Mr. Sedg?
wick was many times a millionaire.
This statement, which he calls an in?
ventory, enumerates his holdings and
their value, and the footing shows $G,
345,000 in round numbers. The invest?
ments, you see, are gilt edged. There
is not a bad penny in all those mil?
lions."
"Well, it Is rather staggering, isn't
it?" said Montgomery, passing his hand
over his forehead. He was beginning
to comprehend.
"In more ways than one. What are
.tr. ~r-c~t
* "Du a . " in surprise. "Why, j
it's mine."isn't it?"
"It is not yours until next Septem?
ber." the lawyer quietly said.
''Well, I fancy I can wait," said
Brewster, with a smile that cleared the
air.
"But, my dear fellow, you are already
the possessor of a million. Do you
forget that you are expected to be
penniless a year from now?"
"Wouldn't you exchange a million
for seven millions. Mr. Grant?"
"But let me inquire how you purpose
doing it?" asked Mr. Grant mildly.
"Why. by the simple process of de
J struction. Don't you suppose I can get
rid of a million in a year? Great
Scott, who wouldn't do it! _A11 I have
to"doTsi:o cut ?~?ew purse str!ngs,"?nd
there is but one natural conclusion.
I don't mind being a pauper for a few
hours on the 23d of next September."
"That is your plan, then?"
"Of course. First I shall substan?
tiate all that this will sets forth. When
I am assured that there can be no pos?
sibility of mistake in the extent of this
fortune and my undisputed claim I'll
take steps to get rid of my grandfa?
ther's million in short order." Brew?
ster's voice rang true now. The zest
of life was coming back.
Mr. Grant leaned forward slowly, and
his intent, penetrating gaze served as a
check to the young fellow's enthusiasm.
"I admire and approve the sagacity
which urges you to exchange a paltry
million for a fortune, but it seems to
me that you are forgetting the condi?
tions," he said slowly. "Has it occur?
red to you that it will be no easy task
to spend a million dollars without in
some way violating the restrictions in
your uncle's will, thereby losing both
fortunes?"
CHAPTER V.
ANEW point of view gradually
came to Brewster. All his
life had been spent in won?
dering how to get enough
money to pay his bills, and it had not
occurred to him that it might be as
difficult to spend as to acquire wealth.
The thought staggered him for a mo?
ment Then he cried triumphantly, "I
can decline to accept grandfather's mil?
lion."
"You cannot decline to accept what is
already yours. I understand that the
money has been paid to you by Mr.
Buskirk. __You have a million dollars,
Sr. Bewster, and lt cannot be~dehied."
"You are right" agreed Montgomery
dejectedly. "Really, Mr. Grant this
proposition is too much for me. If you
aren't required to give an immediate
answer I want to think it over. It
sounds like a dream."
"It is no dream, Mr. Brewster," smil?
ed the lawyer. "You are face to face
with an amazing reality. Come in to?
morrow morning and see me again.
Think it over; study it out. Remem?
ber the conditions of the will and the
conditions that confront you. In the
meantime I shall write to Mr. Jones,
the executor, and learn from him just
what he expects you to do in order to
carry out his own conception of the
terms of your uncle's will."
"Don't write, Mr. Grant; telegraph
And ask him to wire his reply. A year
is not very long in an affair of this
kind." A moment later he added:
"Hang these family feuds! Why
couldn't Uncle James have relented a
bit? He brings endless trouble on my
innocent head just because of a row
before I was born."
"He was a strange man. As a rule,
one does not carry grudges quite so
far. But that is neither here nor there.
His will is law in this case."
"Suppose I succeed in spending all j
but a thousand dollars before the 23d j
of next September! I'd lose the-seven j
millions and be the next thing to a
pauper. That wouldn't be quite like !
getting my money's worth."
"It is a problem, my boy. Think it j
over very seriously before you come j
to a decision one way or the other. In
the meantime we can establish beyond |
a doubt the accuracy of this inven- j
tor:r."
"By all means go ahead, and please j
urge Mr. Jones not to be too hard on j
me. I believe I'll risk it if the restric- !
tions are not too severe. But if Jones i
has puritanical instincts I might as '
well give up hope and be satisfied with j
what I have/*
"Mr. Jones is very far from what
you'd call puritanical, but he is in- j
tensely practical and clear headed. He j
will undoubtedly require you to keep ;
an expense account and to show some !
sort of receipt for every dollar you j
disburse."
"Good Lord! Itemize?"
"In a general way. I presume."
"1*1! have to employ au army of i
spendthrifts to devise ways and means j
for profligacy."
"You forget the item which restrains I
you from taking anybody into your !
confidence concerning this matter. !
Think it over. It may not be so di??i- j
cult after a night's sleep."
"If it isn't too difficult to get the j
night's sleep."
All the rest of the day Brewster j
wandered about as one in a dream, j
He was preoccupied and puzzled, and !
more than one of his old associates, re- j
ceiving a distant nod in passing, re- j
scuffully con rinded that his wealth j
was beginning to change him. His I
brain was so full of statistics, figures j
and computations that it whirled diz- :
zily. and once he narrowly escaped be
ing run down by a street car. Ile dined i
alone at a small French restaurant in j
one of the side streets. The waiter j
marveled at the amount of black coffee
the young man consumed and looked
hurt when he did not touch the quail
and lettuce.
That night the little table in his room
at Mrs. Gray's was littered with scraps
of pad paper, each covered with ao
incomprehensible maze of figures. Aft?
er dinner he had gone to his own
rooms, forgetting that he lived on Fifth
avenue. Until long after midnight he
smoked and calculated and dreamed.
For the first time the immensity of
that million thrust itself upon him. If
He held up the little sheet of paver rue?
fully.
would"have "but ~337Hays in ?which tb
accomplish the end. Taking the round
sum of $1,000,000 as a basis, it was
an easy matter to calculate his aver?
age daily disbursement The situation
did not look so utterly impossible until
he held up the little sheet of paper and
ruefully contemplated the result of
that simple problem in mathematics.
It meant an average daily expendi?
ture of $2,S01.12 for nearly a year, and
even then there would be 16 cents left
over, for in providing the result of his
rough sum in division he could ac?
count for but $999,999.84. Then it oc?
curred to him that his money would
be drawing interest at the bank.
"But for each day's $2,S01.12 ? am
getting seven times as much." he so?
liloquized as he finally get into bed.
"That means $19,007.84 a day, a clear
profit of $18.806.72. That's pretty good
-yes, too good. I wonder if the bank
couldn't oblige me by not charging in?
terest?"
The figures kept adding and subtract?
ing themselves as he dozed off, and
once during the night he dreamed that
Swearengen Jones had sentenced him
to eat a million dollars' worth of game
and salad at the French restaurant
He awoke with the consciousness that
he had cried aloud, "I can do it, but a
year is not very long in an affair of
this kind."
It was 9 o'clock when Brews ter final- j
ly rose, and after his tub he felt ready j
to cope with any problem, even a sub- j
stantial breakfast A message had I
come to him from Mr. Grant of Grant j
& Ripley, announcing the receipt -of im
portant dispatches from Montana and I
asking him to luncheon at 1. He had !
time to spare, and as Margaret and
MTS. Gray had gone out he telephoned
Ellis to take his horse to the entrance
to the park at once. The crisp autumn
air was perfect for his ride, and Brew- j
ster found a number of smart people
already riding and driving in the park, j
His horse was keen for a canter, and :
he had reached the obelisk before he ;
drew rein. As he was about to cross
the carriage road he was nearly run j
dOTvn bj- Miss Drew in ber new Frencb !
automobile.
"I beg your pardon," sue cried, j
"You're the third person I've run into, j
so you see I"m not discriminating '
against you."
"I should be flattered even to be run j
down by you."
"Very well, then, look out." And she j
started the machine as if to charge i
him. She stopped in time and said, j
with a laugh: "Your gallantry deserves ;
a reward; Wouldn't you rather send
your horse home and come for a ride :
with me?"
'.My man is waitiug at Fifty-ninth j
street. If you'll come that far I'll go :
with pleasure."
Monty had merely a society acquaint?
ance with Miss Drew. He had met her
at dinners and dances as he had a host !
of other girls, but she had impressed j
him more iban the others. Something
indescribable took place every timo
their eyes met Monty had often won- ;
dered just what that something meant ;
but he had always realized that it had j
in it nothing of plutonic affection.
"If I didn't have to meet her eyes," i
he had said to himself, "I could go on
discussing even politics with her, but
the moment she looks at me I know she
can see what I'm thinking about."
From the first they considered them- ;
selves very good friends. . and after
their third meeting it seemed perfectly .
natural that they should call one an?
other by their first names. Monty
knew _he was treading on dangerous
ground. It "never occurred To "???m "to
wonder what Barbara might think of
him. He took it as a matter of course
that she must feel ?nore tann friendly
toward him. As they rode through the
maze of carriages they bowed fre?
quently to friends as they passed.
They were conscious that some of the
women, noticeably old Miss Dexter,
actually turned around and gazed at
them.
"Aren't you afraid people will talk
about us?" asked Monty, with a laugh. '
"Talk about our riding together in
the park? It's just as safe here as it
would be in Fifth avenue. Besides,
who cares? I fancy we can stand it."
"You're a thoroughbred. Barbara. I
simply didn't want you talked about.
When I go too far, say the word and
drop mc."
..I have a luncheon at 2, but until
then we have our ride."
Monty gasped and looked at his j
watch. "Five minutes to 1!" he cried, i
The matter of his engagement with the !
attorney had quite escaped him. In ;
the exhilaration of Miss Drew's com- !
panionship he had forgotten even Un-1
de James* millions. !
"I've got a date at 1 that means life j
and death to me. Would you mind
taking me down to the nearest elevat?
ed-or-here, let me run it."
Almost before Barbara was aware j
of what was happening they had chang- |
ed places, and the machine, under Mon- j
"Of all the casual people!" said thc j
girl, by no means unequal to the ex- ?
citeinent. "I believe you're kidnaping j
me."
But when she saw the grim look on j
Monty's face and one policeman after j
another warned him she became seri
ously alarmed. "Monty Brewster, this
pace is positively dangerous."
'^Perhaps it is," he responded, "but if j
they haven't sense enough to keep out j
of the way they shouldn't kick if they
J get run over."
! "I don't mean the people or the au
j tomobiles or traps or trees or monu
I ments, Monty. I mean you and me. I
j know we'll either be killed or arrest?
ed."
"This isn't anything to the gait I'll
be going if everything turns out as I
expect. Dont be worried, Babs. Be?
sides, it's 1 now. Lord, I didn't dream
it was so late!"
"Is your appointment so important?"
she asked, hanging on.
"Well, I should say it is, and-look
out, you blooming idiot! Do you want
to get killed?" The last remark was
hurled back at an indignant pedes?
trian who had escaped destruction by
the merest chance.
"Here we are," he said as they drew
tip beside the entrance to the elevated.
I "Thanks awfully-you're a corker-sor
?-\
J
"What have you heard from Mon?
tana t"
ry to leave you this way. I'll tell you
all about it later. You're a dear to
help me keep my appointment"
"Seems to me you helped yourself,"
she cried after him as he darted up
the steps. "Come up for tea some day
and teil me who the lady is."
After he had gone Miss Drew turned
to her chauffeur, who was in the ton?
neau; then she laughed unrestrained?
ly, and the faintest shadow of a grin
stole over the man's face.
"Beg pardon, miss," he said, "but
I'd back Mr. Brewster against Four
nier any day.'r
Only half an hour late, Brewster en?
tered the office of Messrs. Grant & Rip?
ley, flushed, eager and unconscious of
the big splotch of mud that decorated
his cheek.
"^Avrfully sorry to nave kept yon
waiting." he apologized.
"Sherlock Holmes wonld say that
you had been driving. Mr. Brewster,"
said Mr. Ripley, shaking the young
man's hand..
"He would miss it, Mr. Ripley. I've
been flying. What have you heard
from Montana?" He could no longer
check the impatient question, which
came out so suddenly that the attor- ?
neys laughed irresistibly. Brewster
joining them an instant later. They
laid before him a half dozen telegrams,
responses from bankers, lawyers and
mine operators in Montana. These
messages established beyond doubt the
extent of James T. Sedgwick's wealth.
It was reported to bc even greater
than shown by the actual figures.
"And what does Mr. Jones say?" de?
manded Montgomery.
"His reply resembles a press dis?
patch. He has tried to make himself
thoroughly clear, and if there is any?
thing left unsaid it is past our com?
prehension. I am sorry to inform you,
though, that he has paid tho telegraph
charges." said Mr. Grant smiling
broadly.
"Is ho rational about it?" asked
Montgomery nervously.
Mr. ('rant gave his partner a quick,
significant glance and then drew from
his desk the voluminous telegram from
Swearengcn Jones. It was as follows:
Oct. 2. *
Grant & Ripley. Yucatan Euild'ng, New
York:
I am to be sole referee in this matter.
You are retained as my agents, heir to
report to me through you weekly. Ono
desire of uncle was to forestall grand?
father's beque?*. I shall respect that de?
sire. Enforce terms rigidly. He was my
best friend ar.d trusted me with disposi?
tion of all this money. Shall attend to it
sacredly. Heir must get rid of money left
to him in given time. Out of respect to
memory of uncle he must take no one
into his confidence. Don't want world to
think S. was a foo!. He wasn't. Here are
rules I want him to work under: 1. No
reckless gamblir.;:. No idiotic board of
trade speculation. 3. No endowments to
institutions of any character, because
their memory would be an invisible asset.
4. No indiscriminate giving away of
fenris. By that I don't mean him to be
stingy. I hate a stingy man. and so did
J. T. S. 5. No more than ordinary dissi?
pation. I hate a saint. So did J. T. S.
And both of us sowed an oat or two. G. No
excessive donations to charity. If he
gives as other millionaire's do I'll let it
go nt that. Don't believe charity should
bc spoiled by indulgence. It is not ^asy
to spend a million, and I won't be unrea?
sonable with him. Let him spend lt freely,
but not foolishly, and get his money's
worth out of it. If he does that I'll con?
sider him a good business man. I regard
it foolish to tip waiter more than dollar,
and car porter does not deserve over five.
He does not earn more than one. If heir
wants to try for this big stake, he'd bet?
ter begin quick, because he might slip up
If he waits until day of Judgment. Ifs less
than vear off. Luck to him. Will write
you more fully. S. JONES.
I [TO BE coimirtTEn.]
The Fooli*h and the Laay.
The fool doesn't know a good thing :
when he sees lt; the lazy man doesn't 1
\ ? ?: ^ ? ?". fi ..: ec ;. knows ii.- j'
DE SOBEE
Says President Roosevelt
"It is of incalcuable consequence to
man himself that he should be sober
temperate, and it is of even more cc
quence to his wife and his children: for
a hard and cruel fact that in this life of t
the sins of the man are often visited most
heavily upon those whose welfare should be
his one special care."-President Roosevelt
to the Miners at Wilkesbarre, Pa.
Cures Whiskey and Beer Habit
ORRINE is the only guaranteed cure for
the drink habit, can be used at home, and
destroys entirely the craving- for drink,
without publicity or loss of time. It quick?
ly destroys the craving for intoxicants,
steadies the nerves, restores the appetite
and gives refreshing sleep.
To cure without patients knowledge buy
ORRINE No. 1; for voluntary treatment,
buy ORRINE No. 2. Price, SI per box.
Care Effected or Money Refunded.
A registered guarantee in each box. Book
on "Drunkenness" (sealed) mailed free oa
request. All correspondence confidential.
ORRINE mailed (sealed) on receipt of price
by the ORRINE CO-, Inc, Washington,
D. C., or sold in this city by 38
DeLorme's Pharmacy, Sumter, S C.
Labor Too Scarce for Big Crops.
The Wilmington Star says:
We said something the other day
about the obstacles in the way as well
as unwisdom of putting in a big cot?
ton crop this year. One of the obsta?
cles referred to was the scarcity and
high price of labor. The Manufactur?
ers' Hecord gives us something along
that line and also has something to
say of the justification of the move?
ment to prevent over production. Our
esteemed Baltimore contemporary
says:
"Through the consular service of
the United States continue to seep re?
ports of alleged success of European
countries in growing cotton. All such
reports have more or less reference to
the attitude of European manufactur?
ers toward the American cotton grow?
ers; the assumption that the growers,
without regard to themselves, should
furnish the manufacturers all the cot?
ton -they require at the prices fixed
by the latter. Such one-sided philo?
sophy has support in the cotton mar?
kets from individuals who never actu?
ally handle a bale of cotton, and who
in the past have fattened themselves
in speculation upon the necessities of
the growers. To that class may usual?
ly be traced reports at vital periods
in the cotton season that there is to
be a great enlargement in cotton acre?
age on one hand or on the other; that
the crop is far beyond conservative es?
timates. Just at present is the time
f... talk of increase i.: across, not
unaccomparried by s-jzrir^r.t-oo.s about
?.bo aeeessity '. r .--neb an increase. But
the tall* dees n . cany as much weight
as it used to d< . ?:r:U Sit growers are
no longer thrown into panic by reports
about success in cotton-growing in
new fields, even though such reports
may have the semblance of authority,
coming through government channels.
The past two years have taug*, the
growers to know their own strength
and have tended to steel them against
the once normal inclination to plant
a greater acreage in a season follow?
ing good prices. There are those,
however, who might be unable to learn
wisdom from experience, or who might
in experience fail to perceive that
what was unbusinesslike in every oth?
er line of human endeavor is also un?
businesslike in cotton growing, und
who, consequently, might be tempted
Lo plant more cotton than they, can
profitably cultivate and market. It be?
gins to appear that any mistake male
by ? ach short-sighted growers, threat?
ening to undo and make of no effect
the splendid results of co-operation
luring the past year of southern bank?
ers, growers and others interested in
cotton under wise and practical lead?
ership, is likely to be corrected, only
to the detriment of the shortsighted
ones.
"A dispatch from Chicago states
that the demand for labor in all parts
of the west has almost reached fam?
ine intensity, and that from St. Louis,
Kansas City and San Francisco, par?
ticularly, are coming urgent calls for
mechanics and skilled laborers that
cannot be met. It is calculated that
at least 25,000 additional men are
needed now in building operations in
the northwest and southwest, and that
before mid-summer 50.000 men will
be called for in railroad building. This
scarcity has been felt. too. for many
months in the south, and as railroad
construction, building operations and
other such operations pay higher
wages than farm work, a shortage of
the 'atter may reasonably be looked
for. That is a factor which must be
considered in ail calculations about
che acreage in cotton this season and
the size of the crop.
Ahead of thc Machines.
Though the Columbia slot machines
have successfully withstood the Sab?
bath observance laws of that city they
have yet more serious forces to be
reckoned with in the shape of person
bent on relieving the machines of their
treasure. On Sunday last severa-1 of
the machines, all on leading thorough?
fares, were entered and rifled of what
money they contained.-Chester Lan?
tern.
Mrs. Emily Taylor of Walterboro
has been awarded $1.000 damages
against the Atlantic Coast Line for
being put off at the wrong station