Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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FRAN d BRFCKTN1UDCE Omstratftons fry O. Irwin Mysrs Into this atmosphere of tamed Inert Been, suddenly flashed a little figure whoee quivering vitality communi? cated electric thrills. Even the clowns moved lets like treadmill horses, as they took their stations at the smaller cages, welting to lift the gates that would admit the restless Hons into the central cage. The form that had appeared?one knew not whence?was that of a slight woman, dressed in a short skirt of blue, snd bodice of white satin. Tho trimmings which rsn in all directions, were rich in pendants of gold and rubies. Above all. there was the al? luring mystery of a crimson mask which effectually hid the woman's face. Simon whispered into Abbott's al? ways unready ear: "That isn't La Jonit4ttl. Wonder what this means? La Oonliettl is much more of a worn in than this one, und she doesn't wear t maik. or much of anything else. La Jonliettl doesn't care who sees her. Why. this Is nothing but a more?T ell you now, If she ain't on to her Job, mean to have my money back." 81 non glowered. Abbott stared in great perplexity. Then who Is she"" he exclaimed. "Si non?doesn't she remind you of -of >ome one we know?" "Naw. She's get on La Oonizetti's lress. and her rctce has the show Iri s clangy-tln panny-whangdcoi'le, nt that's all I recognise." Abbott wondereil that Simon failed to notice the sim larlty between the | how-girl's movements and those ot 'ran. This woman had Fran's form. < o be sure the voice was entirely dif ?rent, but the rspldlty snd decisive ess of sctlon, snd the air of authority, 'ere Fran's very own. However, the how-girl's hsnds were as dark as an alien's, while Fran's were?well, not > dark, at any rate. Abbott's brow did not relax. He ood motionless, utaring at every ?lin* before him with painful 1nt#?>t Up rear the loof. Gregory an* ?race scarcely ob*?rv ?d the entrance f ihe lion * a me r. Secured fVOV ipial, a boor bed in ea<.a*aiii'r. able, thanks o the surrounding lamor of voices, to dlacuss their fu are plans with some degree of conn once. Simon told AbbDtt?"Anyway, no msteur would rub up against those eests. so I guess li.'s all right They InT but two Hons; bill says ten; sn that wrote the bill was the other ght, I reckon " T> a show girl wss fastened in the ?ntrai csge. The clowns rslsed tho ner doors, snd the lions shot from elr cramped quartan swift as tawny arrows. They woie almost against e slight figure, without seeming to starve her For the fourth time since >on they stood erect, sniffing the air, elr bodies u neon fit ed by galling tint *rs und chilling Iron. For tho fourth tne this dsy, they were to be put rough their tricks by force of fear, ley hated these tricks, ss they hated e ?mall cages In which they could t lash their tails. They hated the aby carriage ' In which one was ?sently to sit, while the . other ?hed him over tho floor, his sullen \Jonty sport for the rabble. They ted the board upoi which they must *saw, while the woman stood in the Idle, preserving equilibrium, hit grester than the lion's hatred. ? their fear of he woman; and ater than their tear of her was ir terror of that long serpent which, matter bow far if might dart ough space, remalucd always in the w? man's hand. They well knew its vesjonous bite, snd as they slunk from e to side, their ?yee were upon colling black toncue. 1 met Fran on tie street," mur mured Abbott, as he watched, unbltnk ingly. "She said she waa going to visit a sick friend. When did fgej see Fran last. Simon?" "Don't know," Simon said, discour? aging ty "Now they're going to s?e saw. The btack-maited one is tho hardest to manage. 1 reckon, on* day, he'll )ust nsturallv Ivmo afoul of her. and tear her to pieces. Look at him! I don't believo this girl is going to make him get up on top of that board My! how he Is shoalng his teeth her. Say' This Is a pretty go show, hey* Glad yot cann\ tili? Sn' Look at his teeth!" In tnHh, the b'ack manod lion opened his mouth to a frightful extent, making, however, no* the slightest sound Hn refused to budge. Abbott shuddered. Harason!" cried tho woman. Im pelllngly. The oth^r lion was patient? ly stuuding on his end of the board, waiting. He seemed fast aab-? t> Sam son. h?herer, w?i wide awuke a id ev*ry MfJel I an exposed as ho Str?Mrh? In Iii? iitnb-r ayes sn nolfen copier Jtl> vheeb-d nls)'it. and tnado iH end of tho see-saw. Ii n It He waa ired. 9 obe\, evl jfHly the re aSd haired. rioducRd a ripple of laughter. The other lion, feeling the sudden tremor of Samson's weight, opened his eyes suddenly and twitched his tall. He was not asleep, after all. Simon whispered hoarsely: "It's In? teresting all the way through. A fel? low never snows what's goinj? to hap? pen. 'Tain t as if you was watching clowns, knowing what the joke's to be before they say it. To my mind, Hons are more like men than clowns are." Abbott found himself intensely nerv? ous. He longed to have it all over, anxious, above all, to prove his fears , groundless. Yet how were no many coincidences to be explained away? Fran had be*n a show girl, a trainer of lions, and Abbott distinctly rem*m-1 bered that she had spoken of a "Sam con." Fran had Just these movements and this height. He missed Fran's mellow voice, but voices may be dis? guised; and the hands now raised to? ward the audience may have been stained dark. Who was that "sick friend" that Fran had possibly men? tioned only as a:i excuse for escaping? Was that a subterfuge? And why this red mask which, according to Simon Jefferson, was an Innovation? At every trick, the black-mam 6 lion balked. He seemed resolved not to leap upon th.9 will-bracket; and, after attaining the precarious elevation, he "I Do Not Care What You Do," Hi Said Still More Roughly. pretended not to understand that he 1 must descend. His insubordination ; disquieted the enormous animal acting the corresponding part. Even he be? gan to pace softly to and fro at such times as he should have remained mo- ' tionless. When the time came for the clown to hand the woman her violin he was afraid, and withdrew his aim with marvelous rapidity. His grotesque dis? guise could not hide his genuine un? easiness. The members of the band, too. played their notes with unusual care, lest the slightest deviation from routine work bring catastrophe. Noth? ing bad gone tight but the see-sawing ?et; but of all this, the crowd was ig- I norant After the violin playing?"Now," Si? mon Jefferson announced, gleefully, "there's only one moro act. but It's a corker, let me tell you- that's why sh *'s resting a minute. La Qonlsettl gets astride of Samson?the one that's mad?and grabs his mane, and pre? tends to ride like a cowboy. Calls her? self a rough rider. Makes Samson get on top of that table, then she gets on top of him." , "But this Isn't La Gontzettl." Abbott protested, shuddering again. "Now you've said something. That's right. Hut it looks like she's game? she'U try it?we'd better stand a littlo farther back." A hand was laid upon Abbott's arm. "Abbott," said the voice of Robert Clinton, harah Irom smothered excite? ment. "You went to Gregory's houso ?did you se?> him?" Abbott did got hear. The refractory lion, knowing that his time had ooms 'o be ridden, trai asserting his Indo* pendenee, Hi woihl not leap upon iho taiil . The otht ? Hon i lood v. ?.cit? ing to nee }l he would oht y, "Hint. >ou, Clinton?" Sim m's grei . eU8 t< Mi With Ml Ii 'Blent, "Hot here for the best of II didn't you! Seems to axi I sns Gregory sogtewherc not long sgo, b I i wasu't thinking t?i<>ut Mm." "Hireulesl" lbs masked woman n*l drsenoal the gentler of the Hons "flo ro vour place. Hercules go to ? >>..? plar? !" HirOOlei turn -d Id hi I blue 1 r. and leated bJaneolf upon it. leavii | I tall to take ogre of itself. lay, Simon.' Muttered Robert Clin? ton, y>u didn't sc MsM GfftCO .N-<>ir, did lout" "Shut up'- m|d Rlmon desperately. Th show-girl wai lercoli uddretW Ing the blaek-maned lion. "Now! Now! To tho table! To the t hie!" Samson did not budge. Pacing tho woman of the mask, he opened his mouth, revealing the red cave of his j throat?past the ivory sentinels that not only stood guard, but threatened, one could look down and down. This was no yawn of weariness, but a sign of rebellion?a sort of noiseless roar. The trainer retreated to the farther side of the cage, then made a forward rush, waving her whip, and shouting i clangorously, "Up, Samson, up Sam? son, up!" She did not pause in her course till close to his face. ! Again he opened his mouth, baring Overy tootb. voiceless, tut uncofr quered. Hercules, finding that, affairs had come to a halt, slowly descended lrom his box, keeping big half-opened tyes upon the woman. Restlessly he be? gan to pace before the outer door. The slight figure withdrew several ?tape, then smote the rebellious lion a sharp blow across tho mouth. He snapped at the lash. It slipped away from between his teeth. Having res? cued her whip, she shouted to the oth? er lion: "Hack to your place, Hercules. | Hercules?back to your place!" 0h? stood pointing sternly toward the box. but Hercules stretched him* self across the place of exit and lay watching her covertly. The faces of the band boys had be-! come of a yellowish paleness. They; ; continued to pound and blow, but the | I music was not the same; a terrible! I foreboding brought a sense of faint*' ne8s even to the boldest From behind the mask came the voice. A mighty roar shook the loose scream?"Up, Samson, up, Samson? up!" Then It was that Samson found his : voice. A mighty roar shook the losse ly-set bars of the central cage?they vibrated visibly. The ioar did not come as one short sharp note of de? fiance; it rose and fell, then rose anew, varying In the inflections of the voice I of a slave who dares to threaten, fears even while he threatens, and gathers passion from his fear. At that fearful reverberation, the, audience startod up, pt nic-stricken. Hitherto, the last act bad been regard? ed as a badly-played comedy; now tragedy was in the air. Gregory and Grace Nolr at that in-, stunt, became alive to their surround? ings. Hitherto, despising th'? ^w. re? bellious at the der.tiny which maO ; forced them to attend it, they had been wholly absorbed in their efforts to escape observation. The roaring of the lion startled them to a perception of tbc general alarm. r>??A rDtmg *r Gregory. "Oh, save mv!" she panted hysterically, Ihe voice Of the woman bea'nd t^c ban ranii Uatiifchoul the tenU?**Sit down!" Tim voice vn.-i not loud, row, . trlj penetrating. "811 down, i all of you, and remain absolutely mo-! Uonless, or I am lost." She dared not remove her gase from ' Samson's eyes; but on hearing no rat? tling of plagks, she knew her appeal had been obeyed. There came to her, however, the smothered cries of terri? fied women, mingled, here and there, with unrestrained ejaculations of dls may. Abbott Ashton, but a few yards dls-1 tant, grasped the rope with bloodless hands; he appeared as a white statue, seeming not even to breathe. In that moment, Robert Clinton forgot the je s'ous suspicion that had tortured his hpart since missing Grace Nolr from her desk. Grace Nolr, her eyes closed, her cheeks pallid, leaned her head upon Gregory's shoulder, quivering convul? sively. "There, there," Gregory whispered In her ear, soothingly, "everything will be all right." Tho masked woman for the second time addressed the terrified audience,' still not venturing to turn her head in their direction: "Whoever moves, or speaks, or cries aloud, will be my mur? derer. I have only one hope left, and I'm going to try it now. I ask you pcoplo out thero to glvo me just this one chance for my lifo. Keep absolute? ly still." Again Sam-ton uttered his terrible roar. It alone was audible. Tier abovo tier, faces rose to the tent-roof, white1 and set. The audience was like one huge block of stone in which only faces have been carved. The penetrating voice addressed the band boys; "Don't play. He can tell you're frightened." The agitated music ceased. 1 Then the woman walked to the far Cherett side of the inclosure. In do? ing so she was obliged to pass the , crouching form of Hercules, but she pretended not to know he was there; she moved slowly backward, always facing Samson. At last the vertical bars preventee* farther retreat. Then she lifted her hand slowly, steadily, and drew off her rrlmson mask It dropped at her feet. !>? spile the muffled street-noises that ? i to rumble from afar, the sound of tho pilken mask,' le plank floor of the ?I 1 IllCtly audible. 1 I regory whispered in hor 1 ror ' it j- Fron i" tailed from his embrace at the nami und glared down upon the itage. Bbe sat erect, unsupported, petrified. Gregory's brow wai molBtencil with a chilled d tw, "It's Fran." he r.uim Dien. it'. Fran! Grace pray tor her!" Fran looked Samson steadily in the sy< mid Samson glared buck fixedly For a few moments, this quiver be tw ?: life and death remained at the breaking point. Had a stranger at that moment looked under the tent* entrance, be might hare thought every both galeep. luoro was nelthei'sound, nor movement. Grace whispered?"It is the hand of God!" Her tone was almost inaudible, but Gregory shrank as from a mortal blow; its sinister meaning was unmis? takable. Swiftly he turned to stare at her. In Grace's eyes was a wild and om? inous glare akin to that of the threat? ening lion. It was a savage conviction that Fran was at last confronted by the Justice of heaven. Suddenly Fran crouched forward till her head was almost on a level with her waist, in so much that it was a physical exertion to hold her face up? lifted. In this sinuous position she was the embodiment of power. If uhe ; felt misgivings concerning this last resource, there was no look to betray It. Straight toward Samson she rushed, her body lithe and serpentine, her direction unerring. To the beast, Fran had become one of those mysterious flying serpents which bite from afar. He felt the sting of her terrible eyes and his gaze grew shifty. It wandered away, and, on returning, found her teeth bared, as If feeling for his heart. Rushing up to his very face?"Sam? son!" she cried, impellingly. Again he seemed to feel the lash upon his tawny skin. "Samson. Up, Samson, up, Samson ?up! Suddenly Samson wheeled about, and leaped upon the table. Fran stamped her foot at the other Hon. "Go to your place, Hercules!" she cried, with something like con? tempt. (TO BE CONTINUED.) - t STATE SECRETARIES MEETING.1 Secretary' A. V. Snell, of the Char? leston Chamber of Commerce, who is also secretary and treasurer of the | Southern Commercial Secretaries' As- j sociatlon Is anxious for the Sumter Chamber of Commerce to have a good ' representation at the meeting of the South Carolina Secretaries Association at Anderson, on December 23. Mr. Snell is anxious to see the spring meeting of the South Carolina sec retaries held at Sumter and is working with Secretary Reardon to secure the next meeting for this ctiy. The Pee I (>? j section of South Carolina will be! benefited by such a meeting as well as the coast counties of South Caro- j ina. Mr. Snell writes the board of direc? tors of Sumter as follows: "This meeting (at Anderson) will K* b*f par?tmlai Importance at 'hU, :m<-. because of tb< fact that there are -i y matters, \:ing buslnc Inter* *ts of tne State, th t should be affiliated organizations, equaliration of taxes, and also a comprehensive plan of agricultural development, cooper? ation in advertising, etc." Tho Anderson Chamber of Com? merce will entertain the visitors at a "smoker" at which time Commis? sioner E. J. Watson, of the State De? partment of Agriculture, Mr. W. W. Long, State Demonstration Agent, and others, will speak upon matters effecting the interests of the entire State. "Any member of your Cham? ber, in addition to your president and secretary, who may bo able to attend thin meeting, Is cordially Invited and will, we believe, find these meetings very valuable." These meetings are held quarterly in different cities and offer an excellent opportunity to have a get-together meeting of /our busl-; ness men of South Carolin and to j hear messages from the workers1 throughout the State." Secretary Porter A. Whaley, of the Anderson Chamber of Commerce has! also written to the local secretary urg? ing him to attend. Mr. Whaley in his cordial invitation says, In part: "Of course you are coming; I want to let you know that the Andersonlans are dead anxious to have you. Don't wire or mail any excuse; remember South Carolina calls you to duty on Decem? ber 2:*>rd. The meeting it going to mean something, and there is big work abend for the commercial sec? retaries, individually and collective? ly." Hai-viia Picker a Siiccosm. A party of gentlemen from Orange burg came to Manning last Friday to witness a demonstration of the Har vin Cotton picker, invented by Mr. Charles R. Harvin of this town, and they were highly pleased with the re? sult. The machine was pul to work in a tield belonging to Mr. J. El. Tlmmons, n tew miles from Manning, and notwithstanding the cotton was wet and knotty, it convinced these gentlemen that Mr. Marvin lias solved the problem. The party consisted of Rev. d. L. MeLees, L, Bennett, Phil? lip McCants, Dr. D. D. Bailey, and a Mr. Sykes, tho latter being an expert machinist, and he Is of the opinion thai with a few minor alterations the machine will revolutionise the cotton picking industry, and solve ;i problem that inventors have been endeavoring to solve for many years. These gen? ii.-men have recently witnessed the ,,, erutlon or other cotton pickers, ihe> all agree that the Harvin picker excels iheni all, and, they are satis ti,.,i \ir. Harvin will ha\ o n<? dilti eultj in' :-??on organising n company In mantifhe-ttfre the machines for tin inglkel ? M#u?UiU? Tiiuts. - QUIET GOTION MARKET. | ? ? DULL SESSIONS EXPECTED FOR THE HOLIDAY. With No Trading in England Amcr lean Markets are Seldom Normally Aetivc. New Orleans, Doe. II.?The coming week in the cotton market does not promise much activity, although un forseen developments may arise. The weekly routine will be broken by the holiday Thursday, but it is likely that the Friday and Saturday session will be dull .as Liverpool closed Wednes? day for the week and the American markets are seldom normally active with no trading in the English mar? ket. There will be no reports of any kind this week. The present ginning period does not end until December 31 and therefore there will not even be any eroept for forecasts from pri? vat? bureaus. The trade will hold Saturday's re? port on ginning up to December 13 to use as a basis for new crop calcula? tions and as a check on the recent crop estimate by the government. The trade will watch the spot sit? uation very closely for any sudden Increase In offerings, such as are sometimes seen around the year-end holidays. Freer offerings of spots and the granting of concessions by sellers would have an immediate and strong effect on the price of contracts. Bears have been waiting for such an occur? rence to help them out. The trade situation will also be watched closely for any signs of slowing down in consumption such as many traders think is inevitable be? cause of the pessimistic feeling ruling in many lines of buslnesis. WEATHER IS FICKLE. _ Temperatures for Gay Christmas Week Will Vary. Washington, Dec. 21.?Christmas week weather will be unsettled over much of the United States, the weath? er bureau experts say. Temperatures will be near or below the seasonal average generally and the skies will be overcast almost entirely through ut the week. "A disturbance now developing in the Southwest," the weekly bulletin said tonight, "will advance northeast ward attended bj rains; and shews, " rid CrOSS ths Kreat cer.tr.*? v. Hey? about Tuesday ?nd ths Eastern States Wednesday or Th irsdajr "Another disturbance off the North Pacific coast will cause general rains and snow on the Pacific slope during the next several days. This will i each the Middle West Thursday and Fri? day and the Eastern States at the end of the week, and will be preceded by a general change to warmer weather an be followed by generally of colder weather. "There are no Indications of a se? vere cold wave during the week." RAGSDALE SUDDENLY ILL. South Carolina Congressman lias At? tack of Acute Indigestion. Washington, Dec. 21.?Just after bidding good-byo at tho depot to Mrs Ragsdale, who left last night to spend Christmas at their home in Florence, Representative J. W. Rag6dale was seized with an alarming attack of acute indigestion White returning to his hotel in his automobile. The chauffeur rushed tho congressman to tho nearest hospital and Surgeon General Rupert Blue, of tho marine hospital service, a friend of Mr. Rags dale, was summoned. After an hour or more the hospital doctors and Dr. Blue had relieved the sufferer to such an extent that he could be taken to his hotel, where Dr. Blue remained with him for some time. Today Mr. Ragsdalo told Tho News and Courier correspondent that he felt all right again. Mr. and Mrs. Ragsdale have leased a magnificent four-story house on Connecticut avenue, formerly occu? pied by the Argentine legation and a few doors from the residence of the secretary of war. They will occupy the house after the first of the year and Will entertain extensively. $1,000 BLAZE AT MANNING. First Fire in Several Months Barns R. A. White's Office. .Mannin?:. Dec. 21.?About 9.SO last night hro of unknown origin prac? tically destroyed the office of ft. A. W bite, the well known colored frater? nal order official, together with the greater part of the records ot his of ti ?? It was a two-room frame build? ing, situ.ated right on the line of tin sidewalk, and the tire seemed to have comment ed about a desk near the front wall. White sav* he lott the of? fice only a shot time before tor the purpose <>f going to the postofflce. White is the district Krand secre? tary ot the Household of Ruth, a branch of the Ordei of odd Fellows. lie pstlinutes in- los? in about fl,. without counting Ihe cost and trou hie of replacing the burned records. Thi was the Hrsi hre alarm that Man niug U*? had u serial months. ?BEST YEAR SINCE TUE WAR.*' Good Prices For Tobacco and Cot* ton Urins; Prosperity to Booth. Harper*!! Weekly. "The best year since the war," is a common expression in the Atlantic and Gulf States. The tobacco farmers of Virginia and North Carolina are getting top prices for leaf tobacco, thanks to the real competition, in spite of common ownership between the buyers, the companies of the dis? solved Tobacco Trust. The drought in Texas and Oklahoma cut short the Texas cotton crop a million bales and lifted the price of cotton. In Geor? gia, two and a half million bales ware produced this year, which means, at 500 pounds to the bale, at the price of 14 cents a pound, $70 a bale, with $10 added for the cotton seed, from which is made the poor man's butter and the rich man's salad oil?$200, 000,000 for Georgia s cotton crop; $1, 120,000,000 for the 14,000.000 ba'es the South produces this year. The banks in the cotton belt show great? er assets and deposits than ever be? fore. The cotton factories are run? ning full time, in spite of wails et calamity their owners uttertu while the Tariff bill was pending. With the tariff question settled, the cur? rency bill soon to pass, freeing the smaller banks from domination by the larger, the way will be cleared for carrying out the administration program of trust legislation at the regular session of con green. A Letter to Santa Clan*. Dear Santa Claus: The country children in South Caro? lina have been very good during the past year. They have attended school faithfully and have worked hard. Their fathers have also worked in* dustriously and intelligently, an? Providence has smiled graciously up? on our State. They are all expecting a fine Christmas and many gifts frees Santa Claus. The Rural School Supervisor has a special request to make of you. When you are making up your gifts for the boys and girls of the Palmetto State do not forget some good reading suit ? able to the children. The country children in our State have little ac? cess to libraries, and many of them have in their homes fe*v book* whfrfc i 'ioy cut read. Wr. '^."?uid eepiwHsJl like to nave you brir.y them e. sjeev* paper salted to the toys and Ri.-b. s writer formed his readtnr heblt i _~ c^...j>o-iio. which came to him weekly aa a Christmas present when he wne a boy. Please send many of our boye and girls in South Carolina a sub? scription to this or some other pa? per which will be a weekly reminder of your love for the children. If you will do this, we will promise you brighter and better boys and girls next year. Sincerely, , W. K. TATB, State Supervisor Country Schools. Columbia, Dec It. A Sad World, Even In sTsnsas Emporia Gazette. That, however, is a small matter. Every paper has cocked up in it bit? ter, burning wrongs, which it never airs. Some day, when the time comes wo propose to get out a special edi? tion, and for once in a long and use lese career tell the truth about graft? ing church workers who think that che advertising of their entertain? ment to steal and cheat and graft for the Lord is a pious act; In that edition we propose to tell hew many dollars the various busted fair associations owe us for advertising which never was paid for; how many men the Gazette has supported for office who went around declaring that the Ga ^ete did them more harm than good; how many times we have got behind the town-booming propositions, wast? ed our time and space and good, black Ink and white paper and in the end had a lot of Ivory headed chumps hold a lodge of sorrow over a typo rraphical error, and moan about the fact that the Gazette never does get n) thing right. What Beery Woman Knows. A little powder on a nose. A little wave upon the hair, v little violet on the clothes, Might take a woman anywhere. A 1 ttle dimple in the cheek, A little twinkle In an eye, A 1 ttle smile without a care, y i^ht take a woman anywhere. A little word in shyness spoken. A little squeeee. a little token, \ little car. a little air. Might take a woman auywher*. ?Exchange. Ye*, everybody that leavet? life se*s nil Softened and bettered: so with Utlstf sights; To lae at least was never evening yet Hut seemed tar beautifuller than its day, For aajBl i? 1**J5U ?rliv en tffowujj^.